


See You Again

by Hostiles_on_the_hill



Series: Luke Skywalker Deserves Better [2]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: (Y/N) is Krennic’s sister, F/M, Krennic!reader, touch starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2020-12-23 22:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21088754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hostiles_on_the_hill/pseuds/Hostiles_on_the_hill
Summary: (Y/N) Krennic had only ever known the Empire. Her brother had told her the Krennic name would go down in history for what they had done for the Empire, specifically their role in the creation of the Death Star. (Y/N) had joined the Empire as soon as she graduated from the Academy, and never looked back. Her loyalty had never wavered.Until Scarif. When Tarkin called the order to destroy the base, knowing Orson was still there. At that moment, everything had changed.





	1. Chapter 1

“The Emperor is awaiting my report.”

(Y/N) keeps the scowl from her face as Tarkin’s voice grates on her ears. She doesn’t stop the eye roll though, as it’s hidden by her cap. 

“One had hoped that he and Lord Vader might have been here for such an occasion,” Orson remarks pointedly. 

“And I thought it prudent to save you from any potential embarrassment,” Tarkin replies snidely. 

(Y/N) rolls her eyes again, feeling a migraine coming on. The persistent pissing contest between her brother and Tarkin had grown old a long time ago. 

“Your concern is hardly warranted,” Orson says coolly as he walks away from Tarkin’s side. 

“If saying it would only make it so,” is the equally cold reply. 

Orson turns, “All Imperial forces have been evacuated, and I stand ready to destroy the entire moon.”

(Y/N) sighs to herself. The Holy City didn’t need to be destroyed, and neither did the entire moon. She’s silent though, as her opinion is unwanted and means nothing to the men around her. 

“That won’t be necessary,” Tarkin interjects, “We need a statement, not a manifesto. The Holy City will be enough for the day.”

Orson glances at (Y/N) before he orders an officer, “Target Jedha City, prepare single reactor ignition.”

(Y/N) watches as the screen before them flickers to show an aerial shot of the city. 

“Sir, we’re in position, ready to-“

“Fire!” her brother barks. 

“Commence primary ignition.”

The operators move around the group, pressing buttons and flicking switches in a sequence (Y/N)’s memorized forward and back. 

“Stand by.”

The station hums around them as it winds up and (Y/N) watches in horrified fascination as the green blast shoots down and wipes the Holy City from the screen. 

All that’s left is a large, sandy explosion. It ripples from the blast point in huge waves, destroying everything in its place. 

It’s beautiful, in a twisted way. 

The Death Star was a huge point of contention between her and her brother, but (Y/N) was still proud of his achievement. He successfully built the battle station the Emperor had requested. 

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Orson says in awe. 

The blast debris raises high into the air, beyond the atmosphere of the planet and coming close to the Death Star itself. The displaced sand and disintegrated city continues to carry outward from the blast point. 

The men around (Y/N) speak amongst themselves, remarking on the destruction. 

Orson finally turns away from the screen. He walks through the crowd, brushing past (Y/N). Her eyebrow quirks up under her cap but he sees it. His mouth twitches at the corner in response. 

They know they nailed it. 

Tarkin speaks, “I believe I owe you an apology, Director Krennic. Your work exceeds all expectations.”

Orson sends (Y/N) a subtle look, “And you’ll tell the Emperor as much?”

(Y/N) smiles at him happily. 

“I will tell him his patience with your misadventures has been rewarded with a weapon that will bring a swift end to the Rebellion.”

The smile falls from her face. Her brother had made a fair amount of mistakes over the years. His most recent, though (Y/N) wasn’t sure it was actually his fault or if Tarkin was just scapegoating him, was the defected pilot. Bodhi Rook. (Y/N) had been waiting for the shoe to drop since Tarkin had come on board. She had a feeling it was dropping now. 

“That was only an inkling of it’s destructive potential,” Orson boasts. 

“I will tell him,” Tarkington continues as if Orson hadn't spoken, “that I will be taking control over the weapon I first spoke of years ago effective immediately.”

And there it is. 

The two men stare at each other and (Y/N) watches the anger spread through her brother’s features. 

He eventually shouts, “We stand here amidst my achievement, not yours!”

“I’m afraid the recent security breaches have laid bare your inadequacies as a military director,” Tarkin says snidely. 

“The breaches have been filled,” Orson spits, “Jedha has been silenced.”

“You think this pilot acted alone? He was dispatched from the installation on Eadu. Galen Erso’s facility.”

If they weren’t in this current situation, (Y/N) would tell her brother ‘I told you so’. She had told him a thousand times before that Galen Erso couldn’t be trusted. Orson had dismissed her warnings time and again, insisting Erso had returned to the Imperial fold. 

“We’ll see about this,” Orson warns before turning away from Tarkin. He marches past the group and (Y/N) slips away as well, quickly falling in step with him.

Once they’re far away from the control room, she glances at him, “I’m sorry, Or.”

“He won’t get away with this,” Orson spits, “This isn’t over.”

They’re headed to his shuttle. 

“Where are we going?”

“Eadu.” (Y/N) nods in approval. Perhaps Orson has finally accepted that Erso was not firmly in his back pocket. 

Orson marches aboard the ship without breaking stride or speaking to the officer calling out to him. 

(Y/N) stops, “We’re going to Eadu on urgent matters. Make whatever reports are needed, I’ll sign off on them when we return, the matter cannot wait.”

“Yes, Lieutenant.”

(Y/N) resumes her path to Orson’s ship, calling, “With me,” to the nearby squadron of troopers looking at her expectantly. 

***

Their ship lands on the rain slick platform. (Y/N) walks down the ramp with her brother and the troopers. 

Galen Erso and his team stands awaiting them. (Y/N) hasn’t seen the man in over two years, but can tell he’s changed. Before, he had been a browbeaten man, chugging along in his efforts to create the Death Star. Now there was a silent triumph in his eyes. A fire had returned to them. One that most likely spelled doom for the Empire. (Y/N) keeps her face blank. 

“Galen,” her voice sounds over the pouring rain, “It’s been a while.”

“(Y/N). Too long if you ask me.”

(Y/N) raises a delicate eyebrow that goes unseen under her cap and the dark setting. 

“Excellent news, Galen,” Orson says conversationally, “The battle station is complete. You must be very proud.”

“Proud as I can be, Krennic.”

“Gather your engineers, I have an announcement.”

Galen turns to beckon the other men forward. Orson’s eyes scan the group, “Is that all of them?”

“Yes.”

“Gentlemen,” Orson addresses them, “One of you betrayed the Empire. One of you has conspired with a pilot to send messages to the Rebellion. And I urge that traitor step forward.”

None of them move beyond glancing amongst themselves. 

“Very well, I’ll consider it a group effort, then. Ready!”

Their troopers raise their guns and aim them at the group. 

“No!” one engineer begs. 

“No! Please!”

“Aim...” (Y/N) looks at Galen expectantly, seeing the conflict on his face, “and...” 

“No! No!” the engineers plead. 

“Fire!”

“Stop! Stop!” Galen rushes forward to shield the others, “Krennic, stop. It was me. It was me. They have nothing to do with it. Spare them.”

Orson looks away briefly, unable to deny his gullibility and failure. He beckons Galen forward.

Once Galen is safely out of the way, Orson yells again, “Fire!”

The troopers fire without hesitation, only stopping when the bodies fall to the ground. 

Orson backhands Galen sharply and he falls to his knees. (Y/N) looks down her nose at him in disgust. She had no love for the Death Star, but she had even less for traitors of the Empire. 

Orson bends down as well, counting off on his fingers, “Jedha. Saw Gerrera. His band of fanatics. Their Holy City. The last reminder of the Jedi. Gone.”

“You’ll never win,” Galen doesn’t even try to hide it anymore. 

“Now where have I heard that before?” Orson sneers. 

Alarms blare across the platform, lights flashing a bright red. (Y/N) spins to look behind her, spotting x-wings flying towards the base. 

“Rebel pilots,” she snarls, turning back around, “Shoot them down!”

The fighter ships fly fast and deftly through the pillar-like formations of Eadu, opening fire on the base. They aim at the white-clad troopers that make easy targets in the dark, as well as the base itself. 

“Return fire!” Orson yells, “To your stations. Get our fighters in the air now!”

(Y/N) says to her brother, “We need to leave.”

Orson turns to head for his ship, forgetting Galen. (Y/N) moves to grab the man, unwilling to let the Rebel distraction spare him from his rightful punishment.

“Father!” A foreign, feminine voice calls out. (Y/N) looks over, seeing a young woman in dark clothes, looking at Galen. 

(Y/N) pulls her blaster and fires at the girl without pause. Only one person would call Galen Erso ‘father’ and she should have been dead for years according to Orson. 

Her aim is thrown off, though, by one of the rebel pilots firing a torpedo at the platform. 

It explodes around her, sending her flying through the air. (Y/N) slams onto the ground, sliding on the slick surface. Her ears are ringing and the flash of the explosion is still there every time she blinks. 

(Y/N) rolls over, rain pouring down on her face. She blinks stupidly, sitting up and shaking her head to clear it. The world around her comes back into focus, she can hear the blaring alarms and blaster fire. (Y/N) scrambles to her feet. She glances at Galen’s unmoving body, deciding that if he isn’t already dead, he soon will be. 

She hurries to her brother, flipping him over. He groans in pain and (Y/N) breathes a sigh of relief. 

“Hey!” she barks at some of her troopers, “Get him on board. I’m taking off.”

(Y/N) turns on her heel and heads for the shuttle as a damaged TIE fighter nearly hits one of the wings before crashing into the base. 

“Hurry!”

(Y/N) rushes on board and prepares for liftoff. When she hears her brother’s voice, (Y/N) throws the shuttle in gear and blasts away. 

Part of her wants to stay behind to shoot down the remaining x-wings, thoroughly irritated by the persistent thorn in the Empire’s side that was the Rebel Alliance. But she knows there are more pressing matters than a few pilots. 

(Y/N) reaches over to the navigational computer and begins plugging in coordinates. 

“What are you doing?”

“Setting our course for Scarif.” The base on Scarif was a hub for Imperial information and would contain the full technical readouts of the Death Star. Galen Erso’s confession had confirmed the fear that a flaw had been built into the battle station. (Y/N) and Orson had to go there and find this flaw in order to save face for allowing it to be created. 

“No.”

“No?” she repeats incredulously. 

“Set course for Mustafar.”

(Y/N) turns her chair to look at her soaking wet brother, “Really? Is now, right now, really the time to try and curry Vader’s favor?”

“Vader summoned me there and my role in the Death Star’s creation will not be erased by the likes of Tarkin,” Orson replies coolly. 

“Do you want to be remembered as the man who allowed a flaw to be created? Because that is what will happen if we don’t go to Scarif first,” (Y/N) argues, “You cannot go before Vader and present him with nothing but your failures and expect him to side with you!”

“My failures?” Orson asks angrily. 

“Yes, Orson,” she snaps, “Your failures. You trusted Galen Erso when the man gave you no reason to. You trusted him and he took advantage of you, not only crafting a flawed station, but also ensuring the Rebellion gained word of its creation.”

Orson’s foot taps irritatingly, “What would you have me do?”

“We go to the Scarif base, examine the readouts with a fine-toothed comb and find Erso’s flaw. If you presented that to Vader, you would be redeeming yourself and it could sway him to your side.”

Orson shakes his head, “No. Tarkin has been planning this coup for a long time. He has been building this case long before his actions above Jedha, and has continued in my absence. I can’t afford to waste anymore time. I will speak with Vader now, ensuring Tarkin doesn’t get to him first. Then we will go to Scarif.”

(Y/N) flies up from her seat, snapping, “You plug in the coordinates then, I will have no part in this suicidal trip. Make sure your collar is loose, I’m sure it’ll get plenty tight when we go before Vader,” and storms from the cockpit. 

***

(Y/N) stands by her brother as the large door opens. Light shines in, momentarily blinding her. A looming figure stands in stark contrast of the white light. She can hear his breathing from here. 

Darth Vader approaches them in silence. He comes to a stop just feet before them. (Y/N) glances at Orson, whose body language shows how nervous he is. 

“Director Krennic. Lieutenant Krennic.”

Orson and her reply as one, “Lord Vader.”

“You seem unsettled.” He isn’t talking to (Y/N). 

“No,” Orson says in weak protest, “just pressed for time. There are a great many things to attend to.”

“My apologies,” Vader sounds anything but apologetic, “You do have a great many things to explain.”

“I’ve delivered the weapon the Emperor requested,” Orson seems to have found a second wind, “I deserve an audience to make certain he understands its remarkable… potential.”

“Its power to create problems has certainly been confirmed,” Vader remarks, “A city destroyed. An Imperial facility openly attacked.”

Vader breezes past them.

“It was Governor Tarkin that suggested the test,” her brother protests. 

Vader looks back at them, “You were not summoned here to grovel, Director Krennic.”

“No, it’s-“

“There is no Death Star,” Vader cuts him off, “The Senate has been informed that Jedha was destroyed in a mining disaster.”

“Yes, my lord,” Orson says, chastised. 

“I expect you to not rest until you can assure the Emperor that Galen Erso has not compromised this weapon in any way.” For the second time in recent memory, (Y/N) thinks of telling her brother ‘I told you so’.

“Yes, my lord,” Orson is already inching away from the Sith Lord, “We will depart for Scarif at once.”

“No,” Vader’s voice leaves no room for argument, “Lieutenant Krennic will stay here.”

He turns and walks away. 

“So I’m still in command?” 

Vader stops but doesn’t turn. 

(Y/N) smacks Orson’s hand to silence him but he persists, “You’ll speak to the Emperor about-“

Orson’s words are cut off as he begins to choke. He pulls at his collar, in a fruitless attempt to ease the grip on his throat. 

He falls to his hands and knees. As much as (Y/N) wants to bend to help him, she remains still while Vader is in the room. 

Vader turns now, revealing his curled hand, “Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director.”

He releases the hold on Orson and walks away. Once he is out of the room, (Y/N) bends her knee and rests a hand on her brother’s shoulder, “Orson? Are you okay?”

Her brother nods as he sucks in breaths of air. (Y/N) rubs his shoulder soothingly until he’s ready to stand. 

(Y/N) walks with Orson to his shuttle in silence. He stops at the ramp and turns, “I don’t know what Vader wants with you here. Be careful, (Y/N).”

“You too, Or. Good luck and godspeed on Scarif.”

Even though their recent fight is still fresh, Orson is her brother and she loves him dearly. And he loves her just as much. She steps forward and pulls him into a hug. His arms wrap around her and the tension usually present in his body disappears for a moment. 

He releases her, kissing her cheek, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” (Y/N) stays on the landing platform until the shuttle disappears amongst the dark clouds. 

(Y/N) turns on her heel and steels her nerves. She had no idea why she had to stay on Mustafar. Darth Vader was a terrifying being, one she had spent plenty of time with before. She had watched him kill rebel troops and strangle people of much higher rank than her with the Force as if it was nothing. He was ruthless and brutal to those who crossed him. Orson hadn’t handled their conversation with Vader with grace, not to mention his recent string of mistakes. Could she be here to receive the punishment for this? Would she be made an example of?

(Y/N) takes a breath, this line of thought was doing nothing but working herself up. Vader can sense emotion, she’s seen it before. She must appear brave. Respectfully fearful, an easy thing to accomplish, but she couldn’t come across as guilty of something. Especially because she wasn’t. (Y/N) shakes herself, trying to clear her mind. 

Vader hadn’t told her to seek him out, he hadn’t given her any order beyond not getting on board with Orson, so she isn’t sure what to do. 

This ends up not being an issue as an officer is waiting for her inside. 

“Lieutenant, Lord Vader wishes to speak with you. This way.”

(Y/N) follows the officer silently, taking in the building around her. She’s never been here before, and is unfamiliar with the layout. Feeling lost is a feeling she hasn’t felt in a while, since she had been living on the Death Star for several years now. She knew the station like the back of her hand, which is why she would have been incredibly useful on Scarif. 

The officer comes to a stop by a nondescript black door and pushes a button on its control panel. (Y/N) self-consciously straightens her cap. 

He steps forward, “Lord Vader, Lieutenant Krennic is here.”

The officer quickly departs. (Y/N) steps into the room. It’s not particularly big, with control boards and screens on either side and table in the center. 

Vader sits in the large chair facing her, “Have a seat, Lieutenant.”

(Y/N) sits in the chair available. Neither of them speak for a moment. 

“Is there a reason I was unable to go to Scarif?” (Y/N), having grown tired of waiting, asks, “Is there something you want from me, my lord?”

“Those are two different questions, Lieutenant. You didn’t go to Scarif because I didn’t want your brother to use you to examine the Death Star plans.”

“Oh?” (Y/N) is genuinely surprised by this reasoning. 

“Your brother is solely responsible for this potential flaw, so it should be solely his responsibility to shift through the layouts. I have grown tired of him pushing his failures and duties onto others.”

(Y/N) apparently doesn’t keep her reaction from her face. 

“Do you have a problem with that?” Vader’s tone is more curious than annoyed, but the underlying threat is ever present. 

“No, my lord. I just didn’t expect this from you. Tarkin, maybe,” (Y/N) shuts her mouth quickly, shocked she isn’t bent over choking on her own tongue right now. She essentially just told Darth Vader to his face that he was being petty. 

Vader instead makes a sound, if (Y/N) didn’t know better, she would mistake as laughter. 

“As for what I want from you...I want an update on the Erso situation. I have neither the time nor interest in hearing Director Krennic’s carefully crafted report that is more geared towards removing the blame from himself and swaying political favor than providing facts. You have proven the ability to be blunt, so I trust you can tell me the truth.”

(Y/N) looks at Vader, a terrifying figure in the Imperial machine, the right hand of the Emperor, a Sith Lord whose name people fear to say aloud, a looming presence over the galaxy that keeps systems in line and strikes fear into the hearts of man, and is pleasantly surprised. 

***

(Y/N) is just finishing her report when a button lights up on the small display before Vader. She stops mid sentence, allowing him to answer. 

“Yes?”

“My lord, Governor Tarkin is attempting to make contact.”

Vader presses another button and Tarkin’s holographic image appears on the table to the left of him. 

“Lord Vader,” he greets, “the Scarif base is reporting a Rebel incursion.”

“How is that possible?” Vader’s voice is colored with anger. 

“The defected pilot,” (Y/N) says before she can stop herself. Vader hadn’t said she wasn’t to speak, but it was a staple of the Empire that subordinates remain quiet and out of the way at all times. 

“Who is that?” Tarkin asks sharply. 

“Lieutenant Krennic,” Vader supplies almost absently, not appearing to be annoyed by her speaking out of turn. 

“What does she mean by that?”

(Y/N) shifts slightly in her seat, fighting down her irritation over Tarkin not addressing her directly, “The defected pilot was probably recruited by the Rebel Alliance on Jedha.”

“Impossible,” Tarkin dismisses, “No one could have survived that blast.”

(Y/N) purses her lips and says nothing. 

Vader turns away from Tarkin’s hologram to look at (Y/N). She takes that as his prompting of her. 

“Saw Gerrera and his radical faction plagued Imperial operations on Jedha throughout our tenure there. Multiple sweeps of the Holy City indicated his base of operations must have been located outside of the city. There was an isolated attack on a squadron by suspected Rebels before they disappeared, not soon before the test strike. They were most likely taken to Gerrera, where they met up with Rook, who we already knew was taken into possession by Gerrera.”

“Rook?” Tarkin says. 

“Bodhi Rook, the defected pilot,” (Y/N) is surprised by Tarkin’s lack of knowledge. Then again, he had only just taken over operations. Regardless, she reveals none of this in her tone, “He was most likely used to gain entrance to the base, given his knowledge of Imperial procedure and code.”

“Yes…” Tarkin says slowly as he processes what (Y/N) had said. 

Vader seems to nod, as small as possible, at (Y/N) before looking back at Tarkin’s hologram. 

Tarkin collects himself quickly, “Lord Vader, take the Devastator to Scarif and deal with the Rebel fleet. If they manage to transmit the plans, retrieve them...Lieutenant Krennic, I want you onboard this station. We are preparing to make the jump to lightspeed, meet us in the Abrion sector.”

He doesn’t wait for a response before cutting the transmission.

***

It was strange, walking down the ramp of Vader’s shuttle. 

The Sith Lord had been generous enough to let (Y/N) use his shuttle to fly to the Death Star from the Devastator after they had arrived in the Abrion sector. It was his fault, after all, that she didn’t have a ship of her own. Not that (Y/N) would dare say, or even think, that in his presence. 

(Y/N) had never been on the receiving end of a welcoming party the size of Vader’s. She had been a part of many, for Vader and even the Emperor in the past. Stormtroopers stood in straight lines on either side creating a walkway for her. 

Admiral Motti waits with his eager, ass-kissing expression as always, looking expectantly up the ramp. The moment he sees it’s (Y/N) and not Vader, his face contorts, “Oh, it’s you,” before demanding, “Where is Vader?”

(Y/N) just barely keeps the scowl off her face, “He’s on the Devastator.”

Motti immediately turns and walks away, now knowing Vader wasn’t there to be brown nosed. 

(Y/N) rolls her eyes and walks over to the officer she spoke to before leaving for Eadu, “Has Director Krennic arrived?”

The officer looks at his tablet, “No, Lieutenant.”

(Y/N) hums in response, signing off on her and Orson’s earlier trip, “Thank you.”

She walks to the command room where Tarkin barely gives her a second glance, “Lieutenant.”

“Tarkin,” (Y/N) greets simply. 

He continues to speak with Commander Tagge as if (Y/N) hadn’t even spoken. 

Tagge is currently rattling off statistics on the speed and fuel used by the Death Star to make travel at light speed. Having nothing better to do, (Y/N) listens in. She remembers the spell several years ago when it was feared the Death Star would be too big and heavy to achieve such a jump. (Y/N) hadn’t even finished school yet when Orson figured out the solution. She had double checked the math before he had brought the plan forward. It had been successful, and had raised his rank significantly. 

The station reaches Scarif quickly. (Y/N) walks over to the window and can see the sea of Star Destroyers and rebel ships, as well as the explosions of small one-man fighter ships around them. Something is off about this picture. 

She glances at the planet. Yes, the fighting is right above the base, but where is the shield gate?

“Is the shield down?” (Y/N) asks aloud. 

Tarkin walks over and looks out the window as well. He looks at her with a cocked eyebrow that says he’s mildly impressed by her observation before saying, “Do we have a trace on where the transmission was sent?”

“Yes, sir,” an officer replies, “That MC cruiser. The one that’s disabled.”

Another officer asks, “Sir, shall I begin targeting their fleet?”

“Lord Vader will handle the fleet,” Tarkin replies, “Target the base at Scarif. Single reactor ignition.”

(Y/N)’s heart jumps into her throat. Orson was still on the base. 

“Yes, sir.”

He doesn’t have time to escape. She doesn’t even have time to contact him. (Y/N) stands numbly by the window, looking at the planet helplessly. There’s nothing she can do. Tarkin will not listen to her and any action she takes would warrant her imprisonment and possible death, and it wouldn’t make a difference anyway. Tarkin does what he wants. 

“Commence primary ignition. You may fire when ready.”

(Y/N) feels the floor under her feet vibrate as the laser charges up. The vibration peaks and a green blast flies through the air and strikes Scarif near the base. 

The explosion radiates in waves destroying everything in its path. (Y/N)’s face is stone, but inside she’s screaming. Through sheer willpower, she doesn’t breakdown and cry. Through sheer willpower, she doesn’t kill Tarkin with her bare hands where he stands next to her. 

The man looks at her, “No tears for your brother, Lieutenant Krennic?”

(Y/N) swallows the bile in her throat, “No,” she refuses to look away from the blast point. Her voice is void of emotion, “He was stupid to think Galen Erso had been brought to heel. He was only on Scarif to correct his own weakness, he brought this upon himself.” 

She can tell the men around her are impressed and it sickens her. 

*** 

A small ship managed to escape the disabled MC cruiser and make the jump to lightspeed. Vader was going after it. She’d heard all of this in the control room, barely processing what the words meant. 

(Y/N) now sat in her quarters on the Death Star, finally free to mourn Orson. Her brother. Her best friend. A bitter taste remained in her mouth from having to badmouth him. It wasn’t his fault Rook had defected, it wasn’t his fault the rebels knew of the Death Star, and it wasn’t his fault they had gained access to the base and stolen the plans. 

She touches her cheeks to wipe the tears away, but her hand comes back dry. (Y/N) looks down at her hand like it's her first time seeing it, examining the lack of tears. She walks to the mirror in her bathroom. Her eyes weren’t red. She wasn’t crying. 

(Y/N) looks down at the counter. She felt different. Like she was in a dream. Or had she just been woken from one?

When Vader had reported the escaped ship and his plans to pursue it, (Y/N) had felt hope. Not hope that he would catch the ship, though. 

She hoped the ship would get away. What a traitorous thought, to root against the Empire. To hope the Rebellion would get the Death Star plans. The Empire was all she had ever known. Her brother had told her from a young age that the Krennic name would be immortalized in history books for how vital they were to the Empire. She had followed in Orson’s footsteps and joined the Imperial machine without hesitation. And her faith and loyalty had never wavered. 

Until Tarkin had ordered the strike on the Scarif base. The strike that killed her brother. From that moment on, she had begun to root for the Rebellion. Was it possible her loyalty to the Empire had actually just been loyalty to her brother? 

She had never been a fan of the Death Star. She didn’t believe anyone should wield the power to destroy a planet. Not Orson, not Tarkin, not Vader, not the Emperor. But she had wanted the Empire to rule the galaxy and for no one to oppose them. She had believed the Emperor would bring the galaxy order and peace, that the Rebellion had been in the wrong. Everything that had been fed to her by years of Imperial-directed schooling and homespun propaganda from Orson. She just didn’t believe a planet killer was necessary to achieve this. 

(Y/N) had never supported the creation of the Death Star, but now she hated it. She hated the Empire. She wanted it to be destroyed, all of it. (Y/N) had wanted to yell out to the rebel ships, yell at them to come and destroy the station. Even if it meant she was to die with it. 

She felt no love or loyalty to anyone in the Empire, the one person in her life had been killed by it. 

(Y/N) looked up from the counter to look at her reflection. A raging fire burned in her green eyes. She would have her revenge for Orson. Her brother would not be remembered in the history books as he had dreamt, he would be brushed under the rug. No one would remember what he had done to create the Death Star, his name and image would be erased. 

But not to (Y/N). She would remember her brother and she wouldn’t forget who was responsible for his death. 

She would make them pay. She didn’t know how and she didn’t know when. All (Y/N) knew, as her reflection glared back at her, was that Tarkin and this station would pay for what they had done.


	2. Chapter 2

(Y/N) is on her datapad, examining the Death Star plans for flaws, when Vader returns.    
  
Considering how his authority was the only one (Y/N) still respected, she hurries down to greet him when he exits the Star Destroyer.    
  
“Lieutenant,” he greets her, “Take the Princess to her cell and then come find myself and Tarkin.”   
  
“Yes, my lord,” (Y/N) says, before addressing Princess Leia and Stormtroopers, “Princess. This way.”   
  
(Y/N) turns on her heel and leads the way to a nearby detention block. They board an elevator which is pretty cramped considering the six trooper entourage.    
  
“Isn’t this a bit overkill?” Leia asks, “Six lackeys and a Lieutenant for one prisoner?”   
  
“I don’t make the rules,” (Y/N) answers coolly without turning, “I just follow them.”   
  
“Clearly.”   
  
The elevator opens to reveal the detention block. The officer nods in greeting at her, but doesn’t do more. (Y/N) leads the Leia to a random cell and opens the door.    
  
“In here, Princess.”   
  
Leia is shoved by one of the troopers, who had probably taken offense to the ‘lackey’ comment. She catches herself and tries to save her entrance into the cell.    
  
The cell is small and nondescript, with a metal slab and nothing else.    
  
Leia turns, remarking, “Homey.”   
  
“You won’t be alone for long, Princess. Lord Vader will soon arrive to ask you about the Rebellion. I suggest you answer his questions if you wish to be spared.”   
  
“I’m not a part of the Rebellion,” Leia protests, “I am a Senator on a diplomatic mission.”   
  
“Very nice,” (Y/N) compliments, “It almost sounds like you mean that.”   
  
Before Leia can retort, (Y/N) pushes the button and the door slides shut with a click.    
  
(Y/N) breezes past the troopers and heads for Vader and Tarkin. 

***

(Y/N) can hear Tagge’s sniveling voice from outside the room, “The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial Senate as long as....” Tarkin stalks in at this point and Tagge comes up short. 

“The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us,” Tarkin remarks aloofly, “I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.”

All the heads had turned to watch their movements. (Y/N) is easily looked over in favor of staring at the terrifying figure beside her.    
  
Tarkin sits in the head chair and Vader stands beside him. (Y/N) stays in the shadows, as such a conversation was above her pay grade. She isn’t sure why Vader wanted her here, but she isn’t one to question the Sith Lord.    
  
“That's impossible! How will the Emperor maintain control without the bureaucracy?”   
  
“The regional governors now have direct control over territories,” Tarkin supplies, “Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.”   
  
(Y/N) keeps the sneer off her face the best she can. It was a cumbersome, most likely flawed station. Its plans were possibly already with the Rebellion, who were shifting through the readouts to find said flaw. The ability to destroy a planet was an impressive feat, but (Y/N) didn’t think the station would lead a lengthy campaign. She stops her train of thought when Vader glances at her.    
  
“And what of the Rebellion?” Tagge asks, unknowingly voicing (Y/N)’s thoughts, “If the rebels have obtained a complete technical readout of this station, it is possible, however unlikely, that they might find a weakness and exploit it.”   
  
“The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands,” Vader speaks for the first time.    
  
“Any attack made by the rebels against this station would be a useless gesture,” Motti says confidently, “no matter what technical data they've obtained. This station is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it!”   
  
It’s physically painful for (Y/N) to not roll her eyes.    
  
“Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed,” Vader intones, “The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.”   
  
Vader isn’t a fan of the Death Star either? If (Y/N) was alone she would laugh hysterically because the person in the galaxy she most relates to is Darth Vader.    
  
“Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader.” Well that’s a mistake. Motti continues, “Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the rebels’ hidden fort-”   
  
(Y/N) watches with barely concealed amusement as the cocky Motti chokes on his own tongue. She hadn’t forgotten about his dismissive behavior from before, nor his role in the Scarif strike.    
  
“I find your lack of faith disturbing,” Vader says in his deep voice.    
  
“Enough of this!” Tarkin, ever the killjoy, says, “Vader, release him!”   
  
“As you wish.” Motti falls to rest on the table, sucking in breathes as his flesh returns to a somewhat normal color. He tries to collect himself and act as if nothing happened.    
  
“This bickering is pointless. Lord Vader will provide us with the location of the rebel fortress by the time this station is operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke.”   
  
(Y/N) glances around at the faces of the men around her. They all seem assured and placated. Tarkin’s confidence oozes from him, making the air thick with it. Her eyebrow ticks up briefly, as she thinks _We’ll see_.

***

Leia, it turns out, was a lot stronger than Tarkin and Vader had believed. She had resisted the mind probe and Vader had failed to extract the location of the rebel base from her.    
  
Tarkin had requested (Y/N)’s presence in the control room considering she was, by process of elimination, now the top expert on the Death Star. Tarkin had also asked that she examine the plans for a potential weakness, something she had already been doing on her own time.    
  
(Y/N) looks up from the control board in front of her when Vader marches through the door with Leia.    
  
“Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash,” if she didn’t know better, (Y/N) would think Leia hadn’t just be tortured. The Princess was strong, “I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.”   
  
Tarkin gives her a fake smile, “Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life.”   
  
“I’m surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself,” Leia remarks.    
  
Tarkin’s smile becomes genuine, “Princess Leia, before your execution I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.”   
  
“The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers,” Leia’s words have more confidence than her face, which reveals her genuine worry. She had been above Scarif when the base had been destroyed. She knew what the station they stood on was capable of when not even at full power.    
  
“Not after we demonstrate the power of this station,” Tarkin replies, tone equally confident, “In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power...on your home planet of Alderaan.”   
  
Leia looks away from Tarkin for the first time to look through the large window. Alderaan sits in its scope.    
  
“No!” Leia’s gravitas abandons her, “Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't possibly-“   
  
“You would prefer another target?” Tarkin looks back at Leia, “A military target? Then name the system!”   
  
Tarkin steps closer. Leia tries to back away but Vader’s solid body traps her.    
  
“I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where is the rebel base?”   
  
(Y/N) watches Leia glance over his shoulder at her planet.    
  
“Dantooine,” Leia lowers her head, “They're on Dantooine.”   
  
A lie.    
  
Tarkin smiles snidely, “There. You see Lord Vader, she can be reasonable.”   
  
Could he really be that daft? (Y/N) looks at Vader, but his mask prevents her from discerning anything.    
  
Dantooine is a wild bantha chase, but it should mean Alderaan isn’t destroyed. (Y/N) never truly believed Tarkin would attack the planet, but she understands why Leia wouldn’t think to call his bluff.    
  
“Continue with the operation,” Tarkin tells an officer, “You may fire when ready.”   
  
“What?!” Leia yells.    
  
‘What?!’, exactly. Tarkin is a fool to destroy a peaceful planet in an unwarranted and unprovoked strike. The Emperor must have really disbanded the Senate then, as the body would never stand for such a thing.    
  
“You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry, we will deal with your rebel friends soon enough.”   
  
This is outrageous. (Y/N) looks at Vader, who does nothing more than hold Leia in place as she weakly cries out, “No!”   
  
The people move around (Y/N), following the necessary procedure.    
  
“Commence primary ignition.”   
  
Lights flash around her as buttons are pressed and switches are flicked.    
  
The station hums as it charges and a green blast shoots from it and (Y/N) watches as Alderaan is obliterated.    
  
The explosion is ginormous, dwarfing the ones on Jedha and Scarif.    
  
(Y/N) looks at Leia, seeing a shattered expression she’s all too familiar with. It’s what she felt on the inside as she watched her brother die at the hands of the very station he created.    
  
She looks away from the Princess, searching for her datapad. She can’t watch anymore. 

***

It was believed the plans were not yet with the Rebellion.    
  
Captain Ragarn reported that his troopers had found evidence of droids on Tatooine. The Princess had been clever, deploying an escape pod during the attack on her ship. The droids within had landed on the desert planet, along with the plans. Ragarn’s troops had tracked them to a moisture farm but all that resulted in was a dead end and dead farmers.    
  
However, another one of his squadrons had discovered their presence in the settlement of Mos Eisley, where they had escaped on a Corellian model freighter. And not too long after, a Corellian freighter had appeared out of lightspeed where Alderaan had once been. Foolishly, the ship had lingered, gotten caught in the Death Star’s tractor beam, and was now being processed.    
  
None of this concerned (Y/N), who was still on readout duty, so her presence went unnoticed as the officers discussed it around her.    
  
(Y/N) places her datapad on the counter, having found the flaw in the system a long time ago, and slips from the room.    
  
Logically, if the passengers on the ship wanted to escape this station, they would be trying to disable the tractor beam. They would also probably be trying to free the Princess.    
  
(Y/N) walks through the hallways near where the ship had been docked. 

_This is my moment. _

The thought hits (Y/N) out of nowhere. But it’s true. She’d never get a better chance than this. It had come sooner than she had thought, but she wasn’t going to let the moment pass her by.    
  
Her sharp green eyes peered around, looking in the shadows and areas gone unnoticed by the patrolling Stormtroopers.    
  
There. A flash of brown that didn’t belong. (Y/N) followed it down a hallway, locating it again quickly now that she knew what to look for.    
  
It was an old man. Clad in a dark brown cloak.    
  
He was slowly moving in the direction of one of the tractor beam terminals, just as she had expected. He comes to a fork and heads down the left.    
  
(Y/N) follows him, saying softly, “Hey. Old man.”   
  
The man turns to look at her. His eyes are guarded as he takes in the blaster that rests in its holster on her hip.    
  
(Y/N) takes in the front of him, noting the silver cylinder of a lightsaber. He’s a Jedi. They both access each other for a moment, waiting for the other to act.    
  
(Y/N) raises her hand slowly to point down at the way he was headed, “You shouldn’t go that way, there’s a popular hangout spot for officers. Go back the way you came to the fork and go down the right hallway. It’s safer.”   
  
She doesn’t wait for his response, turning and slipping away.    
  
(Y/N) heads in the general direction of the detention block that had once held Leia. The sound of blaster fire catches her ear and guides her.    
  
She peers around the corner, spotting the Princess and a male rebel.    
  
A chasm separates them. The bridge that needs to be extended isn’t and (Y/N) can see the damaged control panel on the other side. They shoot at something a level above (Y/N). Stormtroopers, given the white armored body that just fell.    
  
The male rebel pulls at something from his belt before tossing it into the air. A grappling hook. It catches on the first try.    
  
(Y/N) ducks back behind the wall so they feel safe to swing across.    
  
She hears the sound of them landing and then the slam of the door shutting.    
  
(Y/N) steps around the corner, blaster drawn and fires a warning shot at the door between their heads, “Freeze.”   
  
Leia moves to lift her stolen blaster but (Y/N) shoots a hole in the ground between her white boots, “Don’t even think about it, Princess.”   
  
The pair stay still.    
  
“Good. Now toss that blaster onto the ground.”   
  
Leia scowls and does just that. (Y/N) walks forward, glancing at the innocent and scared look on the rebel’s face. 

(Y/N) plucks the blaster off the ground, strapping it to her belt. She steps closer and holds her hand palm up out to the rebel.    
  
“I don’t-“   
  
“Your lightsaber.” His surprise is evident on his face. The rebel clumsily takes the lightsaber from his belt, “Aren’t you worried I’ll attack you?”   
  
“Please,” (Y/N) scoffs, “You have about as much experience with that saber as I do.”   
  
She takes it from his hand and puts it on her belt beside the blaster.    
  
“This way. Quietly.”   
  
The pair walk past her slowly and (Y/N) follows them. They walk in silence except for (Y/N) telling them which direction to go.    
  
“No backup?” Leia finally asks. Not even close to quietly.    
  
“Shut up, Princess.”   
  
“No, I’m serious,” she continues, “Before, when I was cuffed, I needed six Stormtroopers. Now there’s two of us and-“   
  
“Stop!” (Y/N) speaks over her.    
  
She steps forward between the pair. The rebel reaches for her instinctively to protect the Princess, “Hey-“   
  
(Y/N) snatches his wrist and holds it down and out of the way with an iron grip. She faces Leia and shoves her blaster under her chin, “I won’t tell you again, Princess.”   
  
Leia is wisely silent.    
  
(Y/N) steps back, taking her blaster with her and releasing the rebel’s wrist.    
  
“Move,” she emphasizes with the blaster, “Now.”   
  
(Y/N) guides them through the identical halls, and though she can tell they’re curious about what is happening, she offers no explanation.    
  
(Y/N) has them turn left and she can see down the hall is the docking bay containing the Corellian freighter. At the edge of the wall near the bay, is another man and Wookiee. The other rebels.

The blonde rebel looks at her in confusion.    


“Stop. Face me.”   
  
Leia turns to look at her as well, features marred by a scowl. 

(Y/N) leans back to peer the way they came, ensuring there are no Stormtroopers coming down the other hallway. There aren’t.    
  
(Y/N) tucks her blaster into its holster. She grabs the other blaster and lightsaber and holds them out to the pair.    
  
Leia snatches the blaster from her without hesitation. The rebel takes the saber gently, carefully asking, “What are you doing?”   
  
(Y/N) looks him dead in the eyes, noticing for the first time how handsome he is. His tanned skin, blonde hair, and striking blue eyes make an attractive combination. Shame he works for the enemy. She replies simply with one word, “Go.”   
  
She turns and starts to leave but his hand jumps out to grab her, “Hey, wait.”   
  
Her boot scuffs on the ground at the abrupt stop, catching the attention of the other rebel and Wookiee.    
  
“What’s going on?” They step away from the edge of the hall to approach (Y/N) and the other two.    
  
The Wookiee growls lowly at her, but (Y/N) doesn’t know Shyriiwook.

“Let go, rebel,” (Y/N) says calmly.    
  
“Let her go. We need to get out of here,” Leia urges.    
  
“Why are you letting us escape? Are you a part of the Rebellion?”   
  
(Y/N) looks at the blonde rebel in confusion. Doesn’t he know his fellow Alliance members?   
  
“No, your Princess can tell you that.”   
  
He looks at Leia, who supplies, “She isn’t one of ours.”   
  
“Then who are you?” the brunette rebel asks.    
  
“Why are you helping us?”   
  
“I’m no one and I’m not helping you. You escaped the Death Star all your own. Now let me go,” she jerks her arm again.    
  
The blonde releases his grip.    
  
Before (Y/N) can leave, she hears the approach of troopers. A squadron is walking down the other hallway. Her little group of rebels is moments away from discovery. They tense around her, raising their weapons, having heard the footsteps too.    
  
(Y/N) pulls out her comlink, saying sharply, “I’ve spotted two on Level Seven. All units converge.”   
  
(Y/N) hears the immediate shuffle of footsteps as the troopers turn around in response to what she said, before fading away completely.    
  
She holds the comlink up to the blonde rebel, needing a male voice, “Say you spotted two on Level Eight.”   
  
She pushes the button and he repeats, “Two more spotted on Level Eight.”   
  
(Y/N) tucks the comlink back into her belt, “Now get out of here.”   
  
A thought occurs to her, “Princess.”   
  
Leia raises a skeptical eyebrow in question.    
  
“Thermal exhaust port.”   
  
“What?”   
  
“Once you’ve delivered the plans in your droid to your base, tell the Alliance to look at the thermal exhaust ports.”   
  
“How do you-”

“The uniform isn’t for show, rebel,” she interrupts the blonde, “I know things.”   
  
“Do you?” Leia asks.    
  
“Yes, Princess. The defected pilot. Jedha. Eadu. Scarif. The disabled MC cruiser your tiny ship fled to Tatooine from, only to be followed by Vader. I was there for all of it.“   
  
(Y/N) lets her words register before continuing, “Look to the thermal exhaust ports and you will find Galen Erso’s signature.”   
  
“Why should we trust you?” the brunette rebel asks.    
  
(Y/N) scowls in irritation, there isn’t time for a million questions.    
  
“Did you not just see that?” (Y/N) jerks a thumb at the other hallway, “When I saved your asses?”   
  
“If you really wanted to save our asses,” he remarks, “You’d clear the way to the Falcon so I could get us out of here.”   
  
(Y/N) assumes that’s the name of the freighter. She glances at said ship, seeing a couple of troopers. They are all facing away from her and the others.    
  
(Y/N) looks back at the man, “Okay.”   
  
She turns to walk away but stops, pointing sternly at the blonde rebel who had proven to be problematic, “Stay.”   
  
(Y/N) straightens her cap and walks briskly to the Falcon. Curious as to what had drawn the troopers’ attention, she follows their gaze. Its Vader and the old Jedi dueling. Perfect.    
  
Once she passes beyond the hallway, she snaps her fingers loudly, calling the attention of the troopers. She points to Vader and they all hurry away from the Falcon.    
  
She follows them, twisting her body briefly to gesture at the clear walkway for the rebels’ sake.    
  
(Y/N) immediately leaves the docking bay so she won't be found culpable for their escape. She glances over her shoulder, catching a quick glimpse of her little band of rebels scurrying to the Falcon, before a wall cuts off her view.

***

(Y/N) walks through the Death Star, which is currently speeding towards Yavin IV. The tracking device placed on the Falcon had revealed the small moon to be the location of the rebel base.    
  
She doesn't have a destination in mind. Part of her thinks maybe she should go to the control room and keep pretending to search the readouts, but that doesn’t sound particularly appealing.    
  
“Lieutenant.” Perhaps the destination is about to be determined for her. (Y/N) looks over her shoulder to see Darth Vader.    
  
“My lord.” The Sith Lord walks by her without breaking stride so (Y/N) falls into step with him.    
  
“Captain Ragarn has been relieved of his position.”   
  
“I’m sure he will be missed,” (Y/N) remarks insincerely. She isn’t surprised to hear of Ragarn’s death, given his losing of the droids and subsequently the Death Star plans twice on Tatooine.    
  
“Not by you?”   
  
“He was as boring a conversationalist as he was a poor leader. So, no, not particularly.”   
  
Vader makes a strange sound.    
  
“His ship is still docked somewhere,” he says, “When we arrive at Yavin IV, I want you to take it to the dark side of the planet.”   
  
Control of a Star Destroyer isn’t typically designated to a Lieutenant, but (Y/N) isn’t about to correct Darth Vader, “What would you have me do with it, my lord? Stop the rebels from evacuating?”   
  
“No. You are not to confront the Rebels, they should have no knowledge of your existence.”   
  
(Y/N) raises her eyebrows in surprise. She is to serve as a secret evacuation site for Vader and the others? She was surprised the Sith Lord was so concerned about the coming battle that he wanted to have a safeguard. And that he was voicing this to her.    
  
“My lord, you doubt?”   
  
Vader looks down at her, “Don’t act so surprised, Captain. I know you share the same sentiments for this station as I do.”   
  
‘Captain’? In one word, (Y/N) has just skipped past several ranks and was now in charge of a Star Destroyer.    
  
“I do not doubt this station,” Vader elaborates, “but I don’t believe the Rebellion should be underestimated. That freighter...it carried a presence I hadn’t felt in many years.”   
  
“The old man,” (Y/N) supplies, “The Jedi.”   
  
“Yes. I don’t believe he or any of the other passengers were here by chance. I have felt a shift in the Force.”   
  
(Y/N) glances at Vader, surprised how open he was being with her. She says nothing, believing it to always be the best option when it came to the Sith Lord.    
  
“We should be arriving soon. Your ship awaits you, Captain.”   
  
(Y/N) understands a dismissal when she hears one, “It will be done, my lord, and it will be awaiting you if needed.”

***

(Y/N) had dumped her few belongings in the Captain’s quarters of the  _ Vanquisher _ , before going to the bridge.    
  
The officers had welcomed her without question, no doubt told by Vader of her appointment.    
  
She stands by the large windows with some of the others, watching the battle occurring on the Death Star. They were far enough away to be undetected, but close enough that she could see the tiny explosions of ships connecting with the station.    
  
Someone behind her and the others feeds them information from the Death Star. The station is in range to fire upon the small moon where the Rebel base sits.    
  
The officers around (Y/N) congratulate each other, patting themselves on the back despite having done nothing. (Y/N) doesn’t celebrate though, not yet. This battle isn’t over yet. She hopes Leia and the others had trusted her and the Rebellion had found the flaw in time. Even if the base was blown up, it only took one shot from one of the X-wings still flying around. The Death Star could still be destroyed.    
  
(Y/N) frowns at what she’s seeing. The remaining ships are flying away. Are they giving up?   
  
No. Her eyes widen.    
  
Suddenly, the Death Star explodes. The explosion is enormous, as if it had been hit by its own deadly, green blast.    
  
The officers around her call out in surprise, falling away from the window. (Y/N) looks onward.    
  
No shuttles had left the Death Star during the fighting. Grand Moff Tarkin was dead, along with ‘his’ station. (Y/N) whispers under her breath, “For you, Orson.”   
  
She keeps the happiness of her face, keeping her location in mind. An officer says next to her, helplessly, “Captain, what do we do now?”   
  
(Y/N) answers evenly, “Try to reach Lord Vader’s fighter. If he escaped that explosion, he will be needing a place to dock.”   
  
There’s shuffling and conversation behind her, but (Y/N) pays it no mind. The bright flash from the explosion still lingers in her sight when she blinks.    
  
“Captain, we have him.”   
  
(Y/N) looks away from the window for the first time since arriving on the bridge, “Good.”   
  
She leaves the bridge, heading towards the docking bay.    
  
By the time she reaches it, Vader’s fighter is just crash landing. One of the wings is damaged and there’s a puncture point in the side.    
  
(Y/N) walks over quickly, helping to open the busted door.    
  
“Are you alright, my lord?”   
  
Vader extracts himself from the ship and he doesn’t need to answer. She can hear the change in his respirator. It’s been damaged.    
  
(Y/N) looks at the deck officer who had helped her open the door, “Contact the bridge. Tell them to set course for Mustafar.”   
  
“What of the rebel base?”   
  
“I don’t care.”   
  
“Captain-“   
  
(Y/N) snaps, “I am your commanding officer. You will do as I say or,” she points at the docking bay door Vader had come through, “I’ll toss you through that door and you can go deal with the rebels yourself.”   
  
The deck officer has the terrified expression of someone who had been talking to Vader, not her. He stutters, “Y-yes, Captain.”   
  
“Good,” is her sharp reply. The Rebellion had won this round, that much was clear. As captain of the ship, (Y/N)’s priority was getting Vader repaired. That was why Vader had appointed her, to be an evacuation site. Not to fight. There were countless other ships that could deal with the rebels, but only one who could deal with the Sith Lord.


	3. Chapter 3

It was supposed to be an ordinary supply run. And yet here they were. Luke huffs in frustration and shifts where he sits on the floor of the abandoned building.  
  
Shortly after making the transaction with their supplier, an Imperial Star Destroyer had appeared in the sky. Luke, Wedge, Zev, Dak, and Wes had quickly fled into the local town and found this abandoned building. They weren’t sure where the supplier had gone.  
  
The dark room is suddenly filled with light as Wes lifts the window blind to look outside.  
  
“Wes!” Zev says sharply.  
  
“What? We can’t sit up here blind,” Wes continues to look out the window, “There’s a squad of Stormtroopers and some officers.”  
  
He’s silent for a moment before reporting, “They’re going into the buildings.”  
  
Luke steps over Wedge’s legs to look out the window himself, since it wouldn’t do more harm.  
  
Down below them, a few residents of the town have emerged and stand on the sides of the streets. He sees troopers duck into the various buildings, standard sweeping procedure.  
  
His eyes are drawn to the lead officer and is shocked by who he sees. It’s the Lieutenant, the mysterious helper on the Death Star. Luke had assumed she had died with the station, but apparently not. He called her ‘Lieutenant’, as it was the only thing he knew about her. The Lieutenant hadn’t given them her name and once the Falcon had made the jump to lightspeed, he had asked Leia who she was. Leia hadn’t known, only having heard her referred to by rank.  
  
Luke sees her glance up at their window. He quickly closes the blinds. She helped him before, for reasons unexplained, but he wasn’t sure if she would again. After all, the Rebellion had blown up the Death Star. Though, hadn’t she wanted that? The Lieutenant had helped them avoid capture and escape, and had also told them where to look in the plans. Her tip had allowed them to discover the flaw in time.  
  
“Did they see us?” Zev asks.  
  
“Do you think anyone will tell?” Dak adds nervously.  
  
“I’m not sure,” Luke answers, “but let’s get away from the windows.”  
  
The little group moves to the other side of the room, finding a nook to hide behind.  
  
Luke listens intently for signs that the Imperials have entered their building. He tenses at the sound of footsteps on their level and the guys around him draw their blasters.  
  
“You three go up, I’ll take this one,” The Lieutenant’s voice orders.

Luke stands up from their hiding place and walks out to the center of the room.  
  
“Luke!” Wedge whispers sharply.  
  
“Luke, get back here! Someone’s coming.”  
  
Luke stays where he is, willing to take the risk. She must have seen their movement at the window. Either the Lieutenant will be willing to let him escape, or she won’t, and then he’ll pretend he’s alone. Hopefully she believes him and doesn’t search the room.  
  
“Stay there,” he whispers back to the guys, “and don’t shoot.”  
  
“Don’t shoot?!”  
  
“Are you crazy?! Don’t shoot?”  
  
“Luke, they’ll kill us!”  
  
He shushes them. Luke looks expectantly at the door.  
  
The Lieutenant steps into the room with her blaster held in front of her. Her sharp eyes lock onto him from under her cap. Luke stays still so to not appear threatening. The Lieutenant stays equally still, blaster trained on him. He sees neither emotion or recognition in her eyes. She hasn’t shot him or called for backup, which is promising.  
  
“Lieutenant,” he greets carefully and quietly.  
  
The Lieutenant is silent for a moment before saying, equally as quietly, “It’s ‘Captain’ now, actually,” and tucks her blaster into its holster.  
  
“Congratulations?” Luke isn’t sure how to respond to that.  
  
She steps closer to him, “The Rebellion needs a better selection process for its suppliers.”  
  
“I’m sorry?”  
  
“The supplier you met here, he told me everything the moment we captured his ship. Gave you up immediately.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yes,” she replies, “He made the songbirds jealous.”  
  
Luke sees a flicker of amusement in her green eyes. He had been rather preoccupied with the fear of dying last time, but not so much that it hadn't occurred to him how beautiful the Captain was and still is. Her heavily guarded face has softened slightly while speaking to him and she manages to make the monochromatic Imperial uniform look good.  
  
The Captain’s hand flies up to grab his chin, as it sensing his mind was drifting. Her grip isn’t painful, but it solid enough to tell Luke she wants his undivided attention. Her face moves closer to his, “I want you to listen to me, and listen well. People are afraid. The Emperor has tightened his grip on the galaxy as a result of losing the Death Star and more systems are falling into line. You need to be more careful. I might not be the one to answer the call the next time the Empire gets a tip.”  
  
“I will,” Luke says assuringly.  
  
“Good. Now, you and your friends,” the Captain’s gaze eerily trains on where the guys are hidden, “will return to your base.”  
  
She looks back into his eyes, “And when you are asked to give a report on what happened here today, your ship will have left this planet before mine even came out of lightspeed. Do you understand?”  
  
Luke nods within the confinement of her fingers.  
  
“Good,” her eyes flicker back to the guys, “And I will take your silence as a collective ‘yes’.”  
  
The Captain looks at him closely, eyes searching for something. Luke isn’t sure what exactly, so he just looks back at her. Apparently, she sees something that satisfies her because her hand leaves his chin.  
  
“It will take about forty minutes for my troops to finish their sweep and for us to leave. You will be in the clear after that.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
The Captain graces him with a small smile.  
  
“Oh, and whatever you do,” she speaks louder, still barely more than a whisper, so they all listen, “don’t look out the window. You’re lucky I was the only one that saw you.”  
  
“We were just trying to see what was going on,” Luke glances back to see Zev had poked his head out from the nook to protest. The others pop up to peer at the Captain as well.  
  
He looks back at her.  
  
The Captain rolls her eyes, “I swear, if the Empire wasn’t filled to the brim with incompetency, you all would have been killed years ago.”  
  
She gives Luke another once over before saying, “Good luck,” and turns for the door.  
  
“I still don’t know your name,” Luke can’t help but call after her. She had saved his life twice now and helped the Rebellion destroy the Death Star. Yet all he knew was her title.  
  
The Captain looks over her shoulder at him. She smiles as her eyebrow ticks upward, “That’s the idea, Luke Skywalker. Farewell.”  
  
And then she’s gone.  
  
Luke returns to the nook to wait out the forty minutes.  
  
The guys all look at him.  
  
“Who the hell was that?” Wedge asks.  
  
“I don’t know,” he answers honestly.

***

The _ Vanquisher _ comes out of lightspeed, revealing the ice planet Hoth. One of the many probe droids Vader had deployed had discovered evidence of the Rebellion’s new base here.  
  
The Sith Lord had become obsessed with finding Luke. He said it was because of the rebel’s role in the destruction of the Death Star, but (Y/N) felt like it was more than that. The tenacity at which he pursued Luke, it went beyond that, especially since (Y/N) knew Vader had never been particularly fond of the station. She didn’t know why though, and it aggravated her. The inexplicable fondness (Y/N) had developed for the rebel made her concerned for his well-being. It didn’t bode well for Luke that the Sith Lord was fixated on him.  
  
“Captain, readings show an energy field protecting the planet.”  
  
(Y/N) sighs in mild frustration. The attack is already doomed, “Can you pinpoint the source?”  
  
(Y/N) moves to the walkway by the lowered control areas. The officer indicates the screen, “It’s coming from here, Captain.”  
  
“Move us to the left.”  
  
“Captain?”  
  
“The rebels know we’re here. That shield is their defense, but they no doubt have offensive weapons as well. I want us out of the way, my ship will not get shot by whatever it is they have down there because someone got too excited in their approach. Alert the others to move as well.”  
  
The _ Vanquisher _ breaks formation and moves away from the source of the shield. Not soon after, the first transport makes it way from the planet with an ion cannon clearing its path.

***

The Falcon’s hyperdrive must be broken. (Y/N) knew from the past few years how wild and reckless of a pilot Han Solo was. However, she didn’t think he was so crazy as to play a game of chase with the Imperial fleet and fly into an asteroid field without good cause.  
  
Vader, of course, was undeterred and ordered (Y/N) and the others to follow it into the field as well.  
  
She cringes every time the _ Vanquisher _ is struck by a particularly large asteroid. This was her ship and she didn’t want to see it damaged by some random rock.  
  
“Captain.”  
  
(Y/N) looks up from her datapad, “What is it? Have you found them?”  
  
“No, the _ Executor _ is attempting to make contact.”  
  
(Y/N) walks briskly over to the holoprojecter nook. She adjusts her cap before pressing the flashing button. Vader’s blue figure appears as well as the other captains in the fleet. 

“Captain Needa,” Vader says, addressing the moron captaining the ship deepest in the asteroid field, “what has become of the Millennium Falcon?”

“It went into one of the more densely populated areas of the field, so I had several fighters deployed,” Needa supplies, “They were able to maneuver faster than us and soon left our sight. They were last seen flying into a ravine of one of the larger asteroids. It was then that we lost contact with the fighters,” one of the holograms reacts to something unseen before disappearing, “and that, Lord Vader, was the last time they appeared in any of our scopes. Considering the amount of damage we’ve sustained, they must have been destroyed.”

(Y/N) rolls her eyes. Needa was an idiot.  
  
“No, Captain,” Vader says, “they’re alive. I want every ship available to sweep the asteroid field until they are found.”  
  
Needa’s and the other’s holograms fade out. (Y/N) moves to turn off her own projector when Vader stops her, “Captain Krennic-“

“Lord Vader,” Piett walks into (Y/N)’s range of sight. 

Vader looks at him expectantly, “Yes, Admiral, what is it?”

(Y/N) can see how petrified the newly appointed Admiral is. He visibly swallows, “The Emperor commands you make contact with him.”  
  
“Move the ship out of the asteroid field so that we can send a clear transmission.”  
  
“Yes, my lord.”  
  
“Captain,” Vader faces her again, “deploy your ships and exit the field as well. Then join us onboard here.”  
  
“It will be done, my lord.”  
  
Vader leaves her sight. Piett still looks at her.  
  
“What is that about?”  
  
“I’m not sure,” Piett replies, “but I’d get over here quick. He’s agitated about something.”  
  
(Y/N) nods, “I’ll be over soon.”  
  
She presses the button, shutting off the holoprojecter. Of course Vader is agitated, the Hoth invasion was botched, Luke slipped from his grasp again, and the Falcon is nowhere to be found.  
  
(Y/N) walks back to the main part of the bridge, “Deploy ships to bomb the asteroid field, the rebels are still out there somewhere. And follow the _ Executor _ out of here, I’m requested onboard and don’t want my shuttle to be at risk.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“And contact me immediately if anything comes up. I want them found.”

***

(Y/N) enters the bridge of the _ Executor. _   
  
She approaches Piett, who stands in one of the lowered control areas, greeting, “I believe congratulations are in order, Admiral.”  
  
“Thank you, Captain,” Piett returns with a genuine smile. Firmus Piett was the closest thing (Y/N) had to a friend in the galaxy. The older men that had controlled the Death Star had always been dismissive of (Y/N) because of her age, as well as her gender, a prejudice against her that had existed in most of the Empire. But with their deaths, and (Y/N)’s rapid rise in the chain of command and becoming a part of Vader’s Death Squadron, almost all doubt about her had been erased. Piett had been in the same situation, as Ozzel had been very condescending to him over the years. They had bonded over being overlooked and dismissed. (Y/N) didn’t particularly like the man, but she didn’t actively hate him like she did almost everyone else. She wouldn’t have offered congratulations to anyone else, which said something.  
  
(Y/N) juts her head towards the the platform above them, “What’s with this?”  
  
Piett’s face twists in disgust, “Bounty hunters.”  
  
(Y/N) makes a face of her own, “How unfortunate.”  
  
One of the bounty hunters looks down at her and snarls. (Y/N) raises her eyebrow with an unimpressed expression, saying to Piett, “Was that supposed to intimidate me?”  
  
“I believe so,” he says.  
  
“Well it didn’t,” she remarks. The bounty hunter snarls again.  
  
“I’m not surprised, nothing does.”  
  
(Y/N) isn’t sure if she should take that as a complement so she says instead, “Why are they here?”  
  
“Vader. It wasn’t my choice, we don’t need that scum. Those rebels won’t escape us.”  
  
“Have the bombings revealed anything?”  
  
“Not yet. But they’re here somewhere. There was no need to call this in.”  
  
“Sir,” an officer calls, “We have a priority signal from the Star Destroyer _ Avenger_.”  
  
Needa. Piett turns to the control board to answer.   
  
(Y/N) looks up at Vader who’s speaking to the bounty hunters, “There will be a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive,” he adds pointedly to one of them, “No disintegrations.”  
  
“As you wish.” (Y/N) rolls her eyes. Kissass.  
  
“Lord Vader!” Piett eagerly says, approaching the Sith, “My lord, we have them.”

***

They didn’t have them for long, as the Falcon had quickly disappeared from sight again. There was a chance they had jumped to lightspeed, Han was smart enough to manage the repairs in such a short time, but did he have the equipment onboard to do so? She wasn’t sure. And it was unlikely a ship so small had a cloaking device. Whatever the cause, it didn’t matter. The Falcon has vanished. 

Needa had come aboard to ‘take responsibility for losing them’.  
  
“How noble,” (Y/N) had said to Piett as they watched the captain walk to his death. Piett had hummed in agreement.  
  
Needa now stands not far from them, speaking to Vader. Neither Piett nor (Y/N) look away or feel the desire to come to his defense.  
  
The Captain starts to choke, clawing at his throat. He bends over, looking up at Vader as he tries to plead for mercy. It’s pointless. Needa falls to the ground and is quickly pulled away by some troopers.  
  
Piett visibly tries to steel his nerves as they approach Vader.  
  
“Lord Vader, our ships have completed their scan of the area and found nothing. If the Millennium Falcon went into lightspeed, it’ll be on the other side of the galaxy by now.”  
  
“Alert all commands,” Vader says, his anger evident in his voice, “Calculate every possible destination along their last known trajectory.”  
  
“Yes, my lord. We’ll find them.”  
  
“Don’t fail me again, Admiral,” Vader threatens.  
  
He walks away dismissively. 

Piett addresses the people sitting nearby, “Alert all commands. Deploy the fleet,” he glances at her, “I’ll hold the _ Vanquisher_.”

“Thank you, Admiral.”

Piett touches her arm briefly in farewell as she passes him.

(Y/N) follows Vader. She can’t help but ask, “My lord, what will become of the others on the Falcon?”  
  
“Others?”  
  
“Other than Luke Skywalker, I mean.”  
  
“Skywalker is not onboard that ship.”  
  
(Y/N) frowns, “The question remains. And why are we pursuing them if he is not with them?”  
  
“They will serve as bait to lure Skywalker to a location of our choosing. I have grown tired of chasing him.”  
  
“Why do you want him so bad? It must be more than the Death Star.” A part of (Y/N) worries she might be overstepping.  
  
Apparently not, as Vader answers immediately, “I have reason to believe he is the son of Skywalker.”  
  
Given that they have the same last name, there’s a good chance, but clearly she is missing information. (Y/N) wonders why the Sith Lord was being so deliberately vague. What was this Skywalker’s first name? Who was he?  
  
“And what is the significance of this?”  
  
“Skywalker was a Jedi of the Old Republic.”  
  
(Y/N) nods in understanding, remembering the lightsaber she had taken from Luke on the Death Star.  
  
“Do you plan to convert or crush the seed of the Jedi?”  
  
“He will turn or he will be destroyed. The Jedi were traitors of the Empire and were wiped out decades ago, he will not continue their corrupt legacy.”  
  
“Decades ago?” (Y/N) can’t help but say, “What about the old man?”  
  
Vader looks at her sharply. (Y/N) shrugs and changes the subject before she pushes another button, “Why did you want me to come onboard?”  
  
“I do not believe the Falcon has made the jump to lightspeed, they are close and we will find them. The _ Executor _ will leave this field momentarily for a local system and we will continue to search for them until they are found or we hear from the bounty hunters.”  
  
“I won’t hold my breath for the latter,” (Y/N) can’t help but mutter.  
  
Vader looks at her again, “You have issue with the use of bounty hunters?”  
  
(Y/N) shrugs again, “I find them below the Empire. I will admit that they can get the job done, but they are often stupid, hotheaded, and reckless,” she makes an annoyed noise, “A deal with a bounty hunter is like a deal with the devil, it will bite you in the ass if you aren’t careful.”  
  
“You believe I should exercise caution?”  
  
(Y/N) makes a noncommittal noise, “They might not try anything out of fear of you...but make no mistake, they have no loyalty to the Empire. They are only loyal to themselves and the highest bidder. If Solo or Organa have friends with deep pockets, we could be sent on a wild bantha chase.”  
  
They walk in silence for a moment.  
  
“I want you to dock your ship here and join us on the journey to find the Millenium Falcon. Piett will stay onboard, but I need someone competent with me when I lay the trap for Skywalker.”  
  
“Very well, my lord, I will call the _ Vanquisher _ in.” 

(Y/N) can tell Vader is done with her, so she leaves his side.

***

Boba Fett, one of the bounty hunters, managed to track the Falcon to Bespin. (Y/N) joined Vader in Cloud City, compelling the man in charge, Lando Calrissian, to turn on his friends. (Y/N) wasn’t sure exactly what was planned for them yet, but imagined Vader would soon tell her.  
  
(Y/N) stands in the room with Vader and Fett, hating her life.  
  
The door opens, revealing Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and Calrissian. Chewbacca barks at the two of them and Han whips out his blaster. He fires at Vader several times before the Sith Lord pulls the blaster from him with the Force. Leia’s eyes dart over to look at her. 

“We would be honored if you would join us.”  
  
Troopers appear behind the group and (Y/N) can see Fett emerge from his hiding spot to stand at Vader’s other side.  
  
Calrissian apologizes to them, “I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I’m sorry.”  
  
Han looks at him and says with hatred dripping from his words, “I’m sorry too.”  
  
The door shuts behind the group, trapping them with Vader, Fett, and (Y/N).

***

It turns out Vader’s plans for the rebels was some basic torture and then freezing Han in carbonite. He would be the test subject to prove Luke could survive the freezing process.  
  
(Y/N) stood outside the chamber containing Han, forced to listen to his screams, because Vader was inside. She stood with Fett and Calrissian in an awkward silence she felt no need or desire to fill.

Vader walks out of the room as Han’s screams peter out. 

“Lord Vader,” Calrissian says urgently. 

Vader ignores him in favor of speaking to Fett, “You may take Captain Solo to Jabba the Hutt after I have Skywalker.”  
  
Han’s screams start again and can still be heard as they walk away, prompting Fett to reply, “He’s no good to me dead.”  
  
“He will not be permanently damaged.” It seemed Vader had taken her advice of not giving the bounty hunter an inch.  
  
“Lord Vader,” Calrissian says again insistently, “what about Leia and the Wookiee?”  
  
“They must never again leave this city.”  
  
Calrissian is visibly angered by this, “That was never a condition of our agreement, nor was giving Han to this bounty hunter.”  
  
Neither was freezing the man in carbonite, but (Y/N) doesn’t see the point of bringing that up right now. Frankly, she’s surprised the former smuggler was so shocked by being double crossed. 

Vader steps into the elevator, saying dangerously, “Perhaps you think you’re being treated unfairly.”

“No,” Calrissian answers, chastised.  
  
“Good. It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a garrison here.”  
  
(Y/N) steps past Calrissian into the elevator, hearing Fett move to follow her, though she doesn’t know why. Vader looks down at her silently, yet (Y/N) somehow knows what he wants.  
  
(Y/N) turns on her heel and holds her hand to Fett’s chest before he can enter the elevator.  
  
“Your services are not required where we are going, bounty hunter,” she gives him a blatantly fake smile, “Make yourself useful elsewhere.”  
  
(Y/N) drops the smile and steps back, pushing the button to close the elevator. 

“When I leave with Skywalker and the others,” Vader says once they are alone, “you are to stay behind.”  
  
(Y/N) could have seen that coming from a parsec away. Especially with the threat Vader had just made to Calrissian. She also isn’t surprised to hear him say ‘and the others’. Of course he’s taking Leia and Chewbacca.  
  
“What would you have me do?”  
  
“Take Calrissian’s place and ensure this city is secure. I will leave troops with you to enforce your orders.”  
  
“Yes, my lord. It will not take long.”  
  
“I would expect nothing less, Captain.”  
  
(Y/N) isn’t sure if that’s a threat or a complement. She moves on, “What will become of the _ Vanquisher _ while I am here?”  
  
“That is not my concern. Someone will be assigned to temporarily take your place.”  
  
(Y/N) bites her lip in thought. She didn’t want just anyone to captain it in her absence. There wasn’t really anyone she could think of, so she says, “Let Piett handle it.”  
  
Piett will either keep it safely onboard of the _ Executor _ out of respect to her, or assign someone he trusts will keep it safe. He knew the ship was valuable to her and wouldn’t be careless with it.  
  
“You trust him to make a sound decision?” Vader sounds skeptical. Unsurprising, since the first thing Piett did after his promotion was lose the Falcon. Twice.  
  
“Yes. He may only have half a brain, but it’s a lot more than what the others have.”  
  
“Not much of a conversationalist?”  
  
(Y/N) blinks. Did Darth Vader just make a joke? She thinks back to one of the first times the two of them had spoken privately. When she had been unmoved by Ragarn’s death, citing his poor conversation skills as a reason.  
  
“No, he’s actually one of the more interesting ones,” (Y/N) answers, “Not that you would know, since whenever he’s near you, he’s too focused on not soiling himself to string together a coherent sentence.”  
  
“Do I not have the same affect on you?” Vader’s voice is amused.  
  
“I never said that,” (Y/N) answers, “Perhaps I’m just a better multitasker than Piett.”

***

(Y/N) and Vader enter the freezing chamber. It’s dramatically lit, with the little creatures (Y/N) has seen around the facility walking about.  
  
Vader peers down the circular hole in the floor, taking in the small blasts of gas.  
  
“This facility is crude, but it should be adequate to freeze Skywalker for his journey to the Emperor,” he remarks casually to her. (Y/N) can see Calrissian listening.  
  
An officer approaches them, “Lord Vader, ship approaching. X-wing class.”  
  
Luke.  
  
“Good. Monitor Skywalker and allow him to land.”  
  
The officer bows and leaves.  
  
“Lord Vader,” Calrissian approaches the pair of them, “we only use this facility for carbon freezing. If you put him in there, it might kill him.”  
  
Here comes the other shoe. Vader replies, “I do not want the Emperor’s prize damaged. We will test it on Captain Solo.”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes are trained on Calrissian’s face so she sees every bit of his reaction to this.

***

(Y/N) stands with Vader as the crew of the Falcon are led in. She spots the golden protocol droid the Empire had once sought on Chewbacca’s back.  
  
She sees Calrissian and Han have an exchange, though she isn’t sure what they say. Most likely the purpose of them being brought into this room. Fett immediately approaches her and Vader.  
  
“What if he doesn’t survive? He’s worth a lot to me.”  
  
“The Empire will compensate you if he dies,” Vader dismisses the bounty hunter, “Put him in.”  
  
Chewbacca howls in anger and starts smacking the troops around. (Y/N) rests her hand on the blaster on her hip, but doesn’t remove it from the holster. Fett raises his own weapon but Vader shoves it back down.  
  
Han quickly calms the Wookiee, telling him to watch over Leia. Leia steps closer to Chewbacca, wrapping her arm around his. Han and Leia kiss passionately until two troopers pull Han away.  
  
Han stands on the small circle, gaze fixed on Leia.  
  
“I love you,” Leia says.  
  
“I know,” is his reply.  
  
(Y/N) watches as he is lowered before a blast of gas obscures him from view. She is silent, mind blank. 

This isn’t the first (Y/N) has been unable to look at Leia’s face in response to the actions of the Empire. The last time, she had made the decision to risk everything and help the rebels escape. 

As the slab of metal slams onto the ground, revealing Han’s face, features twisted in frozen pain, she wonders what she will do this time.  
  
Calrissian kneels down by the slab, examining the control panel.  
  
“Well, Calrissian, did he survive?”  
  
“Yes, he’s alive,” is Calrissian’s reply, “And in perfect hibernation.”  
  
Vader addresses Fett, “He’s all yours, bounty hunter,” before ordering, “Reset the chamber for Skywalker.”  
  
An officer approaches them, “Skywalker has just landed, my lord.”  
  
“Good,” Vader looks at (Y/N), “See to it that he finds his way here.”  
  
“Yes, my lord.”  
  
“Calrissian, take the Princess and the Wookiee to my ship.”  
  
(Y/N) walks past Chewbacca and Leia, taking in their sorrowful faces.  
  
“You said they’d be left in the city under my supervision!”  
  
“I’m altering the deal,” is Vader’s reply, “Pray I don’t alter it any further.”  
  
(Y/N) isn’t sure if Calrissian replies, because she’s already left the room.

***

(Y/N) watches from a hidden nook as Luke spies on Fett’s movements.  
  
Her face contorts into a snarl when the bounty hunter backtracks to shoot several times at Luke.  
  
Fett takes off for his ship, separating from the group in charge of Leia and Chewbacca. (Y/N) leaves Luke briefly to follow him.  
  
“Fett!” she barks.  
  
The man turns with his blaster raised, but lowers it once he sees its her. He asks sharply, “What do you want? I need to get to my ship, I don’t have time to deal with Vader’s bitch.”  
  
“I am not his bitch,” (Y/N) snarls, “but I know him enough that I can promise you he wouldn’t like what I just saw.”  
  
“And what is that?”  
  
“You shoot repeatedly at Skywalker. You were supposed to take Solo to your ship and leave, not confront Skywalker. You’re lucky I don’t drag you to Vader right now and tell him you came dangerously close to harming his prize. I am superior to you in every sense of the word, bounty hunter, and do not appreciate being spoken to that way. Pray I am in a forgiving mood the next time I speak with Vader.”  
  
(Y/N) turns on her heel and leaves. Blaster fire sounds and (Y/N) growls lowly in frustration. She follows the noises and spots troopers firing at Luke. At these they understood orders and don’t fire too close to him. 

“Luke! Luke, don’t,”Leia yells at him as she is dragged away, “It’s a trap! It’s a trap!”  
  
Luke stays tucked against the wall, eyes wide with confusion as he tries to make sense of everything.  
  
He cautiously walks forward to follow the group and (Y/N) makes her move. She says from where she leans against the wall, “She’s right, you know?”  
  
Luke jumps violently and whips around to point his blaster at her.  
  
“Woah!” (Y/N) raises her hands in surrender, “It’s just me.”  
  
Luke’s face is comically shocked, “Captain?”  
  
(Y/N) smirks at him, “Luke Skywalker,” she looks at the blue and white astrodroid, “Droid.”  
  
It beeps at her in greeting.  
  
“What are you doing here?”  
  
“What do you think? Leia was right, this is a trap. You saw the Stormtroopers.”  
  
“Vader?”  
  
“Waiting for you, which is why you should leave.”  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes flicker over to where the Imperials had disappeared.  
  
“Walk with me.”  
  
Luke obeys, falling into step with her.  
  
“Why can’t you run? You know how much Vader wants to get his hands on you.”  
  
“My friends,” Luke explains, “I can’t leave them.”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyebrows raise, “You would risk your life to save your friends?”  
  
“Wouldn’t you?”  
  
“I don’t have friends,” she replies flatly.  
  
“You saved me. Twice now.”  
  
(Y/N) doesn’t have a response for that.  
  
“Why?” Luke asks.  
  
“Why what?”  
  
“Why did you help me? Us?”  
  
“I’m not helping you,” (Y/N) says sternly, “You’ve never even seen me before.”  
  
Luke looks at her in exasperation, “Why are you not helping me, then?”  
  
(Y/N) smiles despite herself at his stubbornness, “My brother.”  
  
“Who was he?”  
  
“At his death, he was nobody. Thanks to the Empire. I swore vengeance for his death and got it, as both the station and man who ordered the strike were destroyed. Thank you for that, by the way.”  
  
“You’re welcome?” Luke says helplessly.  
  
They are close to the freezing chamber. (Y/N) stops, “Luke.”  
  
He stops as well, “I can’t leave, Captain. I need to save my friends.”  
  
(Y/N) grabs his arm, imploring, “Your friends are beyond your reach.”  
  
Leia, Chewbacca, and the droid are well guarded and Imperial troops have swarmed the building in search for Luke. He would be captured and taken to Vader way before he got anywhere close to them.  
  
Her grip tightens, “If you continue down this path, the only things you will find are Darth Vader and pain.”  
  
Luke unwinds her hand from his sleeve, “I have to try,” his thumb brushes her knuckles softly.  
  
(Y/N) closes her eyes and sighs deeply.  
  
“Very well,” she opens her eyes to look into his blue ones, “This way.”  
  
Luke follows her as she mutters angrily, “After all, it’s your life you gamble with, not mine. Besides, what do I know? I just spend everyday with the Sith Lord.”  
  
“Captain,” Luke grabs her hand softly to slow her progress, “I do appreciate all you’ve done for me. I owe you my life.”  
  
(Y/N) wants to snap at him, but refrains. She leads him to just outside the freezing chamber.  
  
She turns to look at him, “This is where I leave you, Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader waits for you on the other side of that door. Since you did not heed my first piece of advice, I urge you take this instead: do not let your guard down. Vader is more skilled with a lightsaber and the Force than you, and if you let him, he will destroy you.”  
  
Luke nods.  
  
“And don’t go into the hole.”  
  
“The hole?” Luke repeats in confusion.  
  
“Yes. There is a circular hole in the floor, under no circumstance should you fall in.” She doesn’t have time to explain Vader’s whole plan and she’s found people often listen more when less is provided. And Luke needs to listen.  
  
“Okay, I won’t. Thank you.”  
  
“Good luck,” (Y/N) says, “and I hope the next time I see Vader, he is once again angered by failure.”  
  
(Y/N) steps away from the man. Luke opens the door, looks at her once more, and steps inside. (Y/N) pushes the button to close it.  
  
The droid beeps in protest.  
  
(Y/N) addresses it, “Come along, droid. Luke Skywalker goes where neither of us can follow. Besides, we have people to save.”  
  
The little droid whistles questioningly.  
  
“Yes,” (Y/N) nods, “We are saving your friends.”  
  
The droid immediately starts rolling and beeping happily. (Y/N) huffs a laugh.  
  
(Y/N) leads the astrodroid towards Vader’s shuttle, knowing that’s where Leia and Chewbacca would be taken, but stops quickly. She presses against the wall, peering around the corner cautiously.  
  
The troopers and officers that had once been leading Leia, Chewbacca, and the broken protocol droid are now being led somewhere by Calrissian’s people. It seems the former smuggler had grown tired of Vader’s alterations. The astrodroid bumps her leg softly in question and she pats his domed head comfortingly. 

(Y/N) quickly changes directions, leading the droid towards the docking platform with Fett’s ship.  
  
Once close to it, (Y/N) kneels down beside the droid. She looks for the identification.  
  
“R2-D2,” she reads aloud. The astrodroid beeps in confirmation.  
  
“R2-D2, the Millennium Falcon’s hyperdrive was repaired, but is deactivated. You must reactivate it if you wish to make a successful escape.”  
  
He whistles at her.  
  
(Y/N) pulls a comlink from her belt. She holds it up to the droid to see, “If Luke returns to you, give this to him. It is long range and has a tracking device built in. Tell him to contact me. I believe he will return from his confrontation with Vader, but if he doesn’t, give it to the Princess.”  
  
R2-D2 pops open one of his compartments and (Y/N) tucks the comlink within it. She closes the compartment, “Thank you. Now, go that way,” she points to the left, “and turn left. It will take you to the bounty hunter’s ship, where your friends are headed.”  
  
He whistles and beeps in farewell before leaving.  
  
(Y/N) stands and goes in the opposite direction. She spots the door that leads to the Millennium Falcon, guarded by two troopers. She approaches them and they nod in greeting. (Y/N) nods back before whipping her blaster out and shooting them both.  
  
She quickly leaves, heading towards where Fett’s ship is. She works backwards, making her way through the path the others are most likely to head down, shooting any troopers she comes across to clear the way.  
  
(Y/N) eventually runs into the group comprising of Calrissian, Leia, Chewbacca, the protocol droid, and now R2-D2.  
  
Calrissian lifts his blaster to shoot at her but Leia says, “Wait.”  
  
The two women stare at each other for a moment.  
  
“Captain.” Apparently Luke told his friends about their meeting. She can’t be annoyed at him as she never said he couldn’t tell them, just that he wasn’t to say anything in the official report.  
  
“Princess. Chewbacca. I’m sorry about Captain Solo.”  
  
Chewbacca howls in sorrow.  
  
“Not sorry enough to do anything to stop it or help us,” Leia remarks. (Y/N) believes the Princess is playing the game, and not actually accusing her of something. Leia is a smart woman, she understands why there was nothing (Y/N) could do in freezing chamber.  
  
“So it would seem,” (Y/N) says with a smirk.  
  
She steps to the side, no longer posing an obstacle for the hallway behind her.  
  
The group hurries by her. Calrissian looks at her with a peculiar expression on his face as he passes her.  
  
R2-D2 beeps at her, which prompts the protocol droid to exclaim from Chewbacca’s back, “R2-D2, what have you gotten into while away from me that you know an Imperial officer?”  
  
The astrodroid raspberries as (Y/N) slips away from the group.

***

(Y/N) spots Vader walking in one of the hallways.  
  
“Lord Vader,” she calls after him.  
  
He doesn’t acknowledge her beyond slowing slightly.  
  
“Skywalker?” she asks, falling into step with him.  
  
His silence is telling. Vader is quiet for the entire walk to his ship. Right before he steps onto the ramp, she says, “I will not fail you here, my lord. And I will return to the _ Executor _ to assist you soon.”  
  
“Very well, Captain.” (Y/N) recognizes the dismissal and leaves immediately.  
  
She watches the shuttle take off and allows herself to smile. Luke got away. She isn’t sure where he is, but it’s got to be better than being with Vader.  
  
(Y/N) hopes R2-D2 trusts her enough to check the hyperdrive. 

She turns away from the empty docking platform and cloudy sky and walks inside her new home. 

***

(Y/N) sits at the head of the table. The other members of Cloud City’s government, as well as business owners and other higher ups of the city, file in. Many of them are visibly pale and shaking from worry. They were afraid of her. Good.  
  
She waits until they are all seated before addressing her troopers, “Go.”  
  
They exit without question or hesitation.  
  
“So,” (Y/N) begins, “I’m sure you’re all aware that your city is under new management.”  
  
Several of them nod and few answer her timidly, “Yes, ma’am.”  
  
(Y/N)’s nose wrinkles, “Just call me ‘Captain Krennic’. I’m younger than most of you.”  
  
“Captain Krennic?” One of them is feeling brave.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“What are your intentions with the city?”  
  
(Y/N)’s eyes flicker across the people in front of her, “Nothing, if possible.”  
  
Another blinks in surprise, “I’m sorry?”  
  
“I looked over your reports,” (Y/N) indicates the files on the table. Shortly after Vader left, she had requested an array of documents and files from the government as well as the major businesses. She had meticulously read over them to get an idea of what she was getting into as Baron Administrator of Cloud City.  
  
“You actually read those?” (Y/N) raises her eyebrow at the man who asks in disbelief. He cowers away immediately.  
  
“Yes. And I was very impressed with what I saw. Cloud City is prospering despite these trying times,” she compliments them genuinely, “Well done.”  
  
Several of them answer tentatively, “Thank you.”  
  
“I see no reason why the city cannot continue to function the way it was before it’s Imperial occupation.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yes. As long as you don’t give me a reason to reevaluate, I don’t see the need for Imperial interference.”  
  
Many of the men and women at the table visibly relax, but not by much.  
  
“I have only two rules. First, you will not cause any trouble. Function as you did under Calrissian. Do not attempt a coup, do not attack me or my officers, do not attack my troops. My troops will serve as keepers of peace, think of them as a free police force. I have already ordered them to not use deadly force unless a citizen does first. If you do not cause any problems, neither will they.”  
  
The people at the table nod when she waits pointedly.  
  
She continues, “The second rule is really an extension of the first: do not interact with the Rebel Alliance. Do not inform them of what is happening here, do not provide them supplies, do not provide them shelter. If you do, you will be labeled a traitor of the Empire and punished. Follow these rules and there won’t be a problem. I offer them as a courtesy to you, not me. I have a position at Darth Vader’s side and a ship to return to if this arrangement fails. It is you and only you that would suffer, as I can promise you the person who replaces me will not be as generous in their role as Baron Administrator, or as lenient when it comes to your businesses practices that can, at times, straddle Imperial regulations.”  
  
(Y/N) sees several of them try to make themselves look smaller in their chairs at the mention of questionable business conduct.  
  
“Do we have an understanding?”  
  
There’s no hesitation. They all respond, “Yes, Captain Krennic.”  
  
“Good,” she smiles slightly, “Spread the word throughout the city of my expectations. We will meet again soon in ordinance with standard evaluation timelines.”  
  
They all stand to leave. She watches them with sharp eyes, taking in all of their anxious, curious, and pleasantly surprised expressions. 


	4. Chapter 4

(Y/N) straightens her cap before pushing the holoprojecter button.

“Admiral.”

“Captain,” Piett responds almost warmly, “How fairs Cloud City?”

“The city is secure, they had complied with my orders and adjusted accordingly without protest.”

“Impressive,” he compliments her, “I had expected a stronger response to a takeover.”

“As did I, but I was reasonable with my demands so they were reasonable in response.”

“I shall inform Lord Vader that you will be returning to the Executor by the end of the week.”

“Thank you, Admiral. I will see you then.”

“Farewell, Captain.”

The hologram disappears. (Y/N) jumps slightly in surprise when the comlink on her left hip buzzed. It’s the partner to the one she gave R2-D2.

(Y/N) walks through the hallways as fast as possible without raising suspicion. She ascends to the top of the building, walking out onto a balcony.

She presses the button, “Hello?”

“Captain?” Luke’s voice is music to her ears.

“Luke Skywalker,” her smile is evident in her voice, “It’s good to hear your voice, I see you took my advice.”

***

(Y/N) takes Luke’s abandoned X-wing to Tatooine, as an Imperial shuttle would draw attention as well as be traceable. The man had turned on his tracker, allowing her to pinpoint where he was on the planet.

She lands near the small, lonely house. She exits the cockpit, climbing down the ladder and grabs the pack of supplies she had stored before approaching the house.

Luke stands in the doorway, watching her approach.

(Y/N) greets him, “Luke Skywalker.”

“Captain,” he steps aside, “Do you want to come in?”

“Thank you, I’ve been cramped in that cockpit forever.”

Luke glances at the ship as she breezes past him into the house, “Isn’t that mine?”

“Yes,” she replies simply, “You left it on Cloud City.”

“You took it with you?”

“I’m still in the city. Vader appointed me Baron Administrator and told me to bring the city up to Imperial standards.”

“Oh.”

(Y/N) puts the pack on the table, “How are you? How did your confrontation with Vader go?”

Luke’s eyes dart away from her, “I’m fine.”

“Just fine? Did you escape unscathed?”

Her sharp eyes see his right hand twitch. She raises a delicate eyebrow and holds out her hand. Requesting, not demanding.

Luke puts his right hand in her palm. Her under hand cradles it delicately while her other comes up to lightly dance across his knuckles. She traces along the thin lines of false muscles on the back, before flipping it over. (Y/N) runs her thumb over the barely visible line of the wrist panel, down to the seam where fake becomes flesh. Luke’s fingers twitch slightly and (Y/N) glances up at him.

“Sorry,” he says sheepishly, “It’s still a little sensitive.”

(Y/N) nods and looks back down. Her finger grazed delicately across the seam before returning to the hand. She follows each line of the palm before trailing up to his fingers. They curl slightly, wrapping carefully around hers before straightening. (Y/N) absently rubs her thumb across his palm.

She looks up to meet Luke’s eyes. The soft blue seems to peer into her soul. (Y/N) looks away, back down to the hand held between hers, “A fine piece of craftsmanship. Clean lines, good coloring, blends in perfectly with you. The medical droid did a good job.”

(Y/N) releases his hand and puts hers firmly at her sides. “Other than that?”

Luke takes his hand back, “No, nothing.”

“Are you sure?” (Y/N) looks at him closely.

“I’m fine.”

“Very well,” (Y/N) won’t push him if he doesn’t want to talk about it.

“Do you want to sit?” Luke seems uncomfortable playing host.

“Sure, but I can’t stay long, Vader is expecting me.”

They sit on the old couch. (Y/N) indicates the pack she had put on the table, “I brought you food and supplies, I wasn’t sure what you had with you.”

“Thank you. And thank you for helping Leia, Chewie, and the droids.”

“They told you?” She isn’t surprised.

“Of course. It’s not everyday we run into you.”

“How are they? With Solo, I mean.”

“Everyone’s broken up about it. Boba Fett still hasn’t come out of hiding.”

(Y/N) makes a noise of disgust, “Fett is as spineless as a worm, and as intelligent as one too. He’ll turn up at Jabba’s eventually to collect his reward.”

“I take it you don’t like him?” Luke tucks one leg under the other and shifts to face her better.

“No,” (Y/N) scowls, “I don’t.”

She glances at Luke who’s looking at her strangely, “What?”

“Nothing,” Luke says.

(Y/N) glances around the room, “Was this your house?”

Luke blinks at her, “How do you know I’m from Tatooine?”

“I told you before, the uniform isn’t for show. I know things.”

“It was Obi-Wan’s.”

“Who?”

Luke smiles teasingly, “I thought you knew things.”

(Y/N) glares halfheartedly.

“He was a Jedi Master.”

“The old man on the Death Star,” (Y/N) says.

Luke nods in surprise.

“It would seem I do know things then.”

Luke laughs before saying, “I lived on a farm, not too far from here.”

(Y/N) frowns in thought, brow furrowing. Why did that seem significant?

“I lived with my uncle and aunt, but they were killed by the Empire in the search for 3PO and R2.”

(Y/N) blinks, that was why. Ragarn’s troops had killed some farmers. She looks at Luke sympathetically, “I’m sorry about your uncle and aunt. If it’s any consolation, the man who was in charge of those troopers was relieved of duty shortly after that.”

“What is he a janitor now or something?” Luke asks bitterly.

“No, he was killed.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

(Y/N) laughs lightly, “Sorry, being relieved of duty is what we in the business call being Force-choked to death by Vader.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” (Y/N) says honestly, “Maybe to add some levity to the fact that our boss could kill us from a completely different part of a ship if he wanted to.”

“Vader did that?”

(Y/N) nods, “Admiral Ozzel botched the attack on your Hoth base. Vader did it over a video-call.”

“You saw him do it?”

“No, I was on my own ship. Piett told me.”

“Piett?”

“He was second in command when Ozzel was relieved of duty.”

Luke swallows before saying carefully, “You said before you spend everyday with Vader, what did you mean by that?”

(Y/N) replies, “My ship is part of his Death Squadron so I speak with him in person or via hologram several times a day.”

“Really?”

(Y/N) raises an eyebrow at his tone, “Does that surprise you?”

Luke’s eyebrows shoot up, “No! Not like that. You just seem young for such a high position.”

“I am,” (Y/N) shrugs, “but I’m also good at my job.”

“I’m sure. Except for occasionally helping me out.”

(Y/N) shrugs again, “I’ve never actually violated a direct order during my assisting of you...aside from the blanket ‘don’t help the rebels’ rule. But I would have if I needed to.”

“To get your revenge,” Luke supplies, “Who had your brother been? Why was he killed? Leia told me the Death Star had destroyed the Holy City on Jedha and an Imperial base on...” he searches for the name.

“Scarif,” (Y/N) fills in, “He had been a director in the Death Star’s creation. He had poured years of hard work into it and the moment he proved its viability, Tarkin swooped in and took it from him.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What was your involvement with the Death Star?”

“I sort of helped my brother design some of it. I wasn’t even out of school yet when he was giving me blueprints and figures to double check the math. I didn’t come up with any of the ideas, but I was involved in him figuring out how to get around it’s massive size and weight to achieve lightspeed.”

(Y/N) looks at Luke, expecting to see his appalled or disgusted face. Instead he just looks curious.

“I didn’t like the Death Star, even when it was under the control of my brother. No one should have the ability to destroy planets. They were here before us and should be here after us. I never thought I would act on my dislike of it. But my brother’s death changed everything and then the stealing of the readouts was dumped on my lap. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by.”

(Y/N) glances out the window, spotting the rising twin suns. She had come at dawn, hoping to lower the risk of being spotted. She needs to leave.

“You have to go?”

(Y/N) nods, “Yes,” and stands.

Luke stands as well and walks her to the door.

(Y/N) stops, turning to face him, “Goodbye, Luke Skywalker.”

Luke does something that completely shocks her. He hugs her.

(Y/N) stands stock-still for a moment as her brain crashes into a wall and all thought stops. As she exhales her surprised intake of breath, her body melts. She softens, shoulders curving in slightly and head bowing. Luke feels the change and hugs her closer. (Y/N) doesn’t even resist, letting him hold her tightly. Her body molds to fit the place made for her in his arms, head resting on his shoulder.

Luke is warm and smells good, and she feels truly safe for the first time in many years. It occurs to (Y/N) that she hasn’t been hugged, or really touched beyond a handshake or a pat on the arm, since she said goodbye to Orson on Mustafar. Luke’s hands burn white hot where they rest on her back.

(Y/N)’s hands come up tentatively to rest on Luke’s sides. She can’t remember the last time she was so unsure in an action. It’s like she expects Luke to pull away. When he doesn’t, her hands become more bold and burrow into the fabric of his shirt. She grips it tightly. (Y/N) hears a noise and it takes her a moment to realize it’s a soft sigh of contentment and it’s coming from her. Her cheeks warm from embarrassment, but Luke doesn’t say anything.

(Y/N) isn’t sure how long she stays in Luke’s arms but when she finally pulled away, all she wants to do is return to them.

“Goodbye, Captain,” he says softly.

(Y/N) turns and leaves the small house, not looking back the entire time. She put her hand on the ladder to climb but hesitates. She looks back to the house. Luke is watching her intently from the doorframe. (Y/N) climbs the ladder, hopping into the small cockpit. As the systems kick up around her, (Y/N) resists the urge to look at him again.

***

(Y/N) exits her shuttle onto the Executor and is greeted by Piett.

“Captain Krennic,” he greets her with a smile.

“Admiral,” (Y/N) replies, shaking his offered hand, “How have things been in my absence?”

“As well as they can be,” he answers.

“Did you need something?” She asks because it isn’t usual for an Admiral to await the arrival of a Captain.

“Not particularly,” he says, “but I did want to thank you.”

The pair begins walking. (Y/N) frowns, “For what?”

“I believe I owe you my life.”

Her eyebrows fly up, “Oh?”

“Yes. I think we both can agree my...tenure as Admiral has been less than stellar.”

(Y/N) hums in agreement.

“You no doubt remember Lord Vader telling me I wasn’t to fail him again once the Millennium Falcon disappeared from our scopes. Over Bespin, when the hyperdrive I had ordered to be deactivated allowed the ship to escape again, I believed he was going to kill me.”

“But clearly he didn’t,” (Y/N) supplies, “I wasn’t even onboard then, I don’t see how I played a role in this. He probably hadn’t meant the ultimatum to be taken seriously.”

“I don’t think so,” Piett argues, “He said nothing to me at the time. Later, he didn’t even mention the Falcon, all he said was that you had left the _Vanquisher_ to me while you were stationed in Cloud City.”

(Y/N) nods, remembering the peculiar interaction with Vader on the way to the freezing chamber.

“I believe your vote of confidence gave me another chance in Lord Vader’s eyes,” Piett continues uncomfortably, “I was only given this position because of Ozzel’s heavy handedness during the Hoth invasion, I don’t believe Lord Vader believed me capable of such a role until you spoke in favor of me. So thank you.”

“Do you truly believe I have such an influence on Lord Vader’s decisions?” (Y/N) asks in disbelief.

Piett shrugs, “You certainly did on this one. You are his favorite after all.”

(Y/N) keeps the shock at his words off her face. Vader’s favorite? Darth Vader didn’t have favorites. She had always thought Vader liked her to an extent. And for good reason: she was good at her job. He had never Force-choked her, he had quickly raised her through the ranks to be on his Death Squadron. He seemed to value her opinions, given the coldness he showed Boba Fett on Cloud City and sparing Piett.

She got away with being insubordinate sometimes, something she never understood. Vader was very quick to crack the whip when people were disrespectful, (Y/N) remembers him choking the cocky Motti on the Death Star when he had been dismissive of the Force. So whenever she made a snarky remark and escaped unscathed, it had always made her wonder why an exception was made for her. Maybe because she did it in private, just between the two of them, while Motti did it in front of everyone? Maybe because hers was more...playful? Could you be playful with Darth Vader? Vader was one of the only people in the Empire, and galaxy, that she respected, so she never said anything malicious to or about him.

“If that’s the case, then think nothing of it,” she says amicably to Piett. (Y/N) changes the subject to something that doesn’t give her a migraine, “How is the Vanquisher, since you bring it up?”

“Still docked here,” he indicates the ship around them, “I knew with your efficient way of dealing with things that you wouldn’t be away long. And I know you’re partial to it and didn’t want it to fall into less than steady hands on my watch.”

“Thank you.”

Piett leaves her outside of Vader’s chambers.

The guard presses the button to allow her inside. (Y/N) walks in and stands before the black shell that houses the Sith Lord. There’s some hydraulic hisses of air and the top lifts.

“Lord Vader.”

“Captain Krennic. How did you find bureaucracy?”

“Tedious, but I believe it suited me well, my lord. The city is secure, the people have accepted our occupation and the change in leadership seamlessly.”

“Good.”

“With your permission, I will make return regular trips to ensure it remains up to Imperial code.”

“Is your continued presence required?”

”I don’t believe so, my lord. But you placed the city under my supervision...I would like to see it prosper.”

“Very well, Captain. As long as it does not pull your focus away from important matters here.”

“It will not, my lord. And thank you. Now that I am back, is there something you need from me?”

“You are to return to your ship and continue searching for the Rebel Alliance. I will speak with the Emperor soon on our next course of action.”

“It will be done, my lord. I await your call.”

The Sith Lord nods at her in dismissal and (Y/N) quickly leaves the room.

***

(Y/N) didn’t visit Luke the next time she went to Cloud City, because it would be suspicious if she disappeared every time she was there.

Her lack of visiting him hadn’t stopped the two of them from staying in touch. When (Y/N)’s comlink had buzzed about a month after her trip to Tatooine, she had immediately pulled it from her belt. (Y/N) had answered, to see what Luke wanted, but he hadn’t wanted anything. She hadn’t understood what had been happening at first, but it had eventually hit her.

Luke was checking up on her. Making sure she was still around. (Y/N) had been touched by the thoughtfulness of the man. It warmed her heart that there was someone in the galaxy that genuinely cared for her wellbeing.

Vader had informed her of the creation of the second Death Star not long after her return from Cloud City and its location by the forest moon of Endor. She, of course, had known there was the intention to build another one. There was no way the Emperor had tasted that level of power and wouldn’t want to taste it again. A year ago, Piett had mentioned a framework located somewhere in the galaxy, but he spoke of it as if it was tabled project. Possibly waiting for an improved design or to be completed after the Rebellion had been squashed. So she had been surprised when Vader had sent her there to get the lay of it. (Y/N) had traveled to Endor, met with Jerjerrod, and been given an extensive tour. She had been shocked to discover it was very real and almost complete.

(Y/N) had wanted to tell Luke immediately, but she couldn’t risk it. If the Rebellion was to gain word just after she had been brought into the loop, it would be obvious she had leaked the information.

She had resolved that this coming trip to Cloud City would be the time she would visit the desert planet again.

(Y/N) had already bid Piett farewell, and was now outside of Vader’s chambers, datapad in hand, to do the same to him.

The guard presses the button, allowing her inside.

Vader was already facing her, “What is it, Captain?”

“Lord Vader,” she greets him, “I’m scheduled to leave for Bespin.”

“Will it take long?”

“Based off the preliminary reports I’ve been sent,” she gestures with the datapad, “everything seems to be in order. No acting out and profits are up from last quarter. Am I needed back soon?”

“Yes, but not here. I will be leaving to meet with the Emperor in Coruscant soon after you depart. He plans on traveling to the Death Star to oversee the final stages of construction. I will arrive before him, and I expect you to be by my side to greet him.”

“Of course, my lord. I will be there with time to spare.”

“Very good, Captain.”

“My lord,” (Y/N) says before leaving the room. Her mind is racing.

The Emperor would be on the Death Star. She definitely had to go see Luke now.

***

(Y/N) focuses on her breathing the entire flight to Tatooine. She had buried the fear deep within herself for all those months that she could do nothing. Now that (Y/N) was finally able to act, though, the panic threatened to overwhelm her.

The cramped cockpit doesn’t help the situation, as (Y/N) liked to pace when she was anxious. She can’t even stretch her limbs it’s so tight in here.

She lands the X-wing near the lone house and unbuckles the moment it settles. She quickly descends the ladder, barely remembering to grab the pack she had brought again, and runs to Luke. He had been watching her from the door frame, but once she starts to run, he hurries to greet her.

He catches (Y/N), stopping her from plowing into him.

“Captain!” he exclaims.

“Luke!” (Y/N) gasps, “The Empire, they’ve done it! They did it again. You have to stop them.”

“Captain, you aren’t making any sense. What did they do?”

“A Death Star!” (Y/N) practically yells, “They made another one! They did it again.”

“Another Death Star?”

“Yes,” (Y/N) says, hands shaking, “Oh god. I-I...” All she can think about it Orson.

“Hey,” Luke says, “It's okay.”

“No, it’s not!” (Y/N) sucks in a breath, vision blurring.

Luke’s arms wrap around her. (Y/N) falls into the embrace, knees weak. He holds her tightly, “Breathe.”

(Y/N) burrows into Luke’s warmth and takes several deep breaths. The subtle rise and fall of Luke’s chest against her is soothing. Her vision clears and the ringing in her ears stop. Luke feels the shift and releases her.

She looks into his clear blue eyes, “You need to contact the Rebel Alliance. Tell them it is located by the forest moon of Endor. Tell them the moon has a shield generator that protects its unfinished state,” she grips his sleeves, “The Emperor will be arriving soon to oversee construction. If the Alliance strikes now, it could topple the Empire with one blow.”

Luke nods, “I will.”

“You have to destroy it, Luke,” she urges, “it will soon be fully operational and then the Empire will be unstoppable. No flaws will exist this time. The Alliance must destroy it.”

“I’ll tell them. We’ll destroy it before it can hurt anyone. This won’t be like last time.”

(Y/N) nods. Luke leads her inside, taking the pack from her.

“Oh, I, uh, brought you some more stuff. I wasn’t sure how long you’d still be here.”

“Not long, actually, but thank you. We’re going to rescue Han.”

“Fett showed?”

“Yes. Lando’s already at Jabba’s Palace, he confirmed that Han’s there.”

“Good, I wish you luck.”

They sit on the couch, much closer than the last time (Y/N) came. She hadn’t planned on sitting so close, but she couldn’t bring herself to move away.

(Y/N) indicates his right hand, “How’s your hand?”

Luke offers it to her, “Better. I’ve gotten used to it, I think.”

(Y/N) takes it without hesitation. There really isn’t anything new to observe, but she isn’t about to say that. Luke’s fingers curl around her own, much more confidently this time. Before when he had done that, it had been so careful, as if he was worried that his grip might hurt her. It could have, given the robotic state Luke had still been getting the hang of, but it hadn’t. It doesn’t hurt her this time either.

“Have you recovered from the confrontation? The other stuff, I mean.”

Luke glances at her, “What other stuff?“

(Y/N) rolls her eyes, “How many times do I have to tell you? I know things. I could tell more had happened to you and you just didn’t want to talk about it. You don’t have to tell me what it was, I just want to know if you’re okay.”

He nods, “I’m fine.”

“Good,” (Y/N) absently traces the lines his palm during the comfortable silence that occurs.

“Did you...” Luke eventually breaks it.

(Y/N) glances up at Luke expectantly.

“Did you join the Empire just because of your brother?”

(Y/N) sighs softly, “You could say that. He told me all my life that we would go down in history for all we did for the Empire. I never questioned that logic and did what was expected: I joined the Empire.”

(Y/N) remembers Orson cashing in countless favors to get her in. The Empire wasn’t exactly keen on women being involved, her appointment had been an anomaly. People had always been quick to criticize Orson’s constant efforts to manipulate and work the system, but (Y/N) had it to thank for all she had.

“I didn’t realize until his death how little loyalty I had for the Empire.”

Luke’s fingers dance across her knuckles, “Why didn’t you leave?”

“The Empire is all I’ve ever known. Desertion is punishable by death,” (Y/N) looks out the window, “Call it cowardice if you want, but I call it self-preservation.”

“The galaxy is big, you could avoid the Empire.”

“I have no place in the galaxy. I have no discernible skill set-“

“I doubt that.”

“-and nowhere to go where the Empire couldn’t find me.”

“You could have joined the Rebellion.”

“Yes,” (Y/N) rolls her eyes, “And how do you think that would go? ‘Hi, people trying to destroy me and everything I once supported. I know you have no reason to trust me and probably viscerally hate me, but I want to join your side now. How about it?’ If not killing me on the spot, I would be thrown in a cell only to be brought out for questioning.”

“You could do it now, leave the Empire. I’d vouch for you, and so would the others. You’ve saved countless rebel lives, you’d have a spot with us.”

(Y/N) sighs and rests her head on the cushion of the couch.

“I could save you,” Luke says softly. He sweeps her hair away from her neck to softly caress the sensitive skin. (Y/N) shivers slightly, she hadn’t realized they had gotten so close to each other. During the conversation, they have moved closer and closer like magnets until they were practically on top of one another.

“I can save Han from Jabba,” he continues, “I can save you from the Empire too. I’ve become stronger with the Force. I could do it, I promise.”

(Y/N) sighs, “That’s a nice dream, Luke Skywalker.”

“Why do you call me that?”

(Y/N) raises an eyebrow, “What?”

“Luke Skywalker.”

She looks at him in confusion, “It’s your name?”

“I know that,” Luke huffs, “I mean why the full name and not just ‘Luke’? We’ve certainly known each other long enough.”

“Oh,” (Y/N) shrugs, “Muscle memory, I guess. When we talk about you, I can’t call you by your first name and seem too familiar.”

“You talk about me?”

It’s (Y/N)’s turn to huff, “Yes. Piett braids my hair while I tell him how cute you are,” she rolls her eyes, “What do you think? You blew up the Death Star and Vader’s obsessed with you. Of course we talk about you.”

Luke smiles at her, “You think I’m cute?”

(Y/N) raises her head off the cushion to glare at him, “That’s what you took from that?”

“Hey,” he shrugs, “I already knew Vader was after me, I didn’t know you thought I was cute.”

(Y/N) scowls and looks out the window again.

“If it helps,” he says, “I think you’re beautiful.”

(Y/N) refuses to look away from the window and refuses to blush. She isn’t sure how successful she is at that second one.

“Will you tell me your name at least?”

“No,” (Y/N) answers sternly.

“Why not? It’s harmless.”

(Y/N) finally looks back at him, “The last time someone betrayed the Empire like this, his name spread through the galaxy like wildfire and he was dead within the week. I will not suffer the same fate. And if the price of my survival is never hearing you say my name, it’s one I’m willing to pay.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Luke Skywalker,” (Y/N)’s head drops back to the cushion, feeling a migraine coming on, “You are loyal to your friends, it’s an admirable trait and one I respect you for, but it could spell doom for me. Can you look me in the eye and say you wouldn’t tell your Princess if she asked? Or Captain Solo once he’s freed from Jabba’s clutches?”

Luke sighs but says nothing, answering her question.

They sit in silence for a moment. (Y/N) spends the time tracing Luke’s jaw and features with her eyes.

“Is Vader really obsessed with me?”

“Yes. You've been his primary focus since you blew up the Death Star.”

“What does he say about me?”

“Do you want the generic or what he tells me?”

“He tells you something different?”

“A little. He believes you’re the son of a Jedi from the Old Republic. He plans on turning you, though you probably caught onto that.”

“Did he,” Luke asks hesitantly, “say anything about this Jedi?”

“No, I’m sorry,” (Y/N) wishes she could give Luke even a sliver of information about his father.

“What’s Vader like?”

(Y/N) frowns, “He’s ruthless and absolute in just about everything he does.”

“Just about?”

(Y/N) shrugs, thinking about the few times of the years the Sith Lord had shown mercy.

Luke looks down, “Do you think there’s any good in him?”

She frowns at the peculiar question, “I...don’t think anyone is ever truly gone...but I’ve never seen proof of this in Vader.”

“Ever?” Luke sounds disappointed.

“I don’t know, Luke, it’s a strange question. I don’t live my life trying to find redeemable moments in others. Has there been times when Vader could have killed people and didn’t? Yes. Does that mean there’s good in him? I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a question anyone can answer.”

He nods in understanding. Luke glances out the window at the rising suns. He sighs softly and trails his hand down her arm, “Do you have to go?”

(Y/N) unwillingly glances out the window as well, dreading what her answer would be, “Yes.”

They stand and walk to the door.

Just like before, (Y/N) turns to look at him one last time, “I wish you good luck, Luke Skywalker, in freeing Han Solo and everything else. I don’t know if our paths will cross again, but if they do, I hope it is under better circumstances.”

And just like last time, Luke hugs her. (Y/N) doesn’t hesitate in hugging him back. She fits in his embrace perfectly, like a puzzle piece that found its match.

Luke’s face is angled towards her. His nose runs up her neck like an animal scenting it’s mate and it makes (Y/N) shiver.

He says against her skin, “I will keep my promise, Captain.”

(Y/N) hums in question.

Luke pulls back, cupping her face in his warm hands. (Y/N) closes her eyes, knowing that if she were to look into his pretty blue eyes right now, she’d never leave this desert planet. Her hand holds his wrist.

His thumb strokes across her cheek, “I’ll save you from the Empire. The Rebellion will destroy the Death Star and the Emperor, and then you’ll be free. You’ll never have to be afraid again. And then you’ll finally be able to tell me your name.”

Luke sounds so determined and confident, and (Y/N) so very much wants to believe him.

Something softly, so soft it almost wasn’t even there, brushes her lips and then Luke’s hands fall from her face. (Y/N) opens her eyes and takes in Luke’s handsome face.

She steps back, gaze lingering on him, before turning and leaving. (Y/N) walks to the X-wing, not having to look back to know Luke was there.

As she grabs the ladder to climb, it occurs to (Y/N) that it had been Luke’s lips. Her head snaps over to look at Luke. He’s still in the doorframe.

(Y/N) climbs the ladder and hops into the cockpit. The top closes and her fingertips touch her lips briefly. (Y/N) shakes her head, refocusing. The X-wing lifts off from the sand and flies away.

***

(Y/N) falls into a kneeling position behind Vader and next to Jerjerrod.

She can hear the sound of the Emperor slowly walking down the ramp of his shuttle. She also hears the soft click of a cane, but (Y/N) severely doubts he actually needs it.

“Rise, my friend,” he rasps in greeting.

Vader rises immediately and falls in step next to the Emperor as he slowly makes his way along the countless rows of troops. (Y/N), Jerjerrod, and the other commanders rise and follow.

Jerjerrod shoots her an anxious look. He had confided in her earlier about his apprehension of the Emperor’s arrival. Everyone onboard was anxious, of course, but Jerjerrod most of all. Apparently Vader had been displeased with the station’s pace in construction, telling Jerjerrod this to his face, and had warned that the Emperor was also displeased. (Y/N) hadn’t spent much time in the Emperor’s presence, but she didn’t have to in order to know he was more powerful and ruthless than Vader. He put on the frail, old man act, but (Y/N) knew he could kill all of them with ease. Jerjerrod had great cause for his concern.

(Y/N) shrugs at him. Even if she wanted to, which she didn’t, (Y/N) has no way of offering comfort. Any assurance she could make would be a lie. She didn’t know what the Emperor planned on doing here.

Jerjerrod nods, understanding all of that from a shrug. As much as the Moffs, Admirals, Captains, and officers of the Empire didn’t like each other, there was a common ground and camaraderie resulting from constantly being a bad mood away from death.

(Y/N) raises her eyebrow and inclines her head at the two figures that walk a few paces ahead of them. There were probably bigger fish to fry than Jerjerrod, given how Imperial intelligence has reported the rebel fleet was amassing near Sullust. No doubt they were aware of the new Death Star by now and were planning an attack. Jerjerrod had increased construction efforts since his talk with Vader, he would probably be alright. The Emperor and Vader seemed unworried.

Jerjerrod nods slightly, pulling at his tight collar.

“The Death Star will be completed on schedule,” Vader says.

“You have done well, Lord Vader,” the Emperor praises, “And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker.”

“Yes, my Master,” Vader replies.

“Patience, my friend. In time he will seek you out. And when he does, you must bring him before me. He has grown strong. Only together can we turn him to the dark side of the Force.”

(Y/N) keeps her mind blank as she always does in the presence of the Sith Lords, though she feels fear bubble deep inside of her.

“As you wish.”

“Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen,” the Emperor cackles, making goosebumps spread across (Y/N)’s body.

***

(Y/N) exits the elevator and is immediately cold. The Emperor has that ability, to suck the warmth and life out of the room. The room is silent. Her boots make almost no sound as she approaches the stairs.

The black chair turns slowly, revealing the deceptively frail looking Emperor. He beckons her with a pale hand, “Come closer.”

(Y/N) climbs the stairs, bowing briefly, “Your Highness.”

His yellow eyes pin her to the spot.

“Captain (Y/N) Krennic,” he says, “graduated top of your class, assisted your brother in the creation of the first Death Star, Captain of the Star Destroyer Vanquisher, trusted member of Lord Vader’s Death Squadron, and recently appointed Baron Administrator of Cloud City.”

(Y/N) is silent.

He gestures to the room around them, “What do you think of my latest creation?”

(Y/N) answers calmly, “It is very impressive, Your Highness. I understand the technology of the first has been built upon to improve its efficiency.”

He nods once, “If it was up to Lord Vader, I believe, it would soon be in your possession. He has spoken highly of you.”

(Y/N)’s eyebrows raise. Vader wanted her to be in charge of the Death Star?

“Thank you for considering me for this position, Your Highness,” she says graciously, “How can I prove myself worthy of the appointment?”

The Emperor points in the direction of the nearby moon, “A small band of rebels will soon be allowed access to the forest moon. A ship with a squadron of troops awaits you. Take it to the shield generator and apprehend them. The Rebel Alliance plans an attack on this station. They will not escape or succeed this time. The Imperial fleet will destroy their ships, and you shall kill the invading team.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

His pale finger raises, “Go.”

She bows again before leaving.

(Y/N) walks to the closest docking bay to see if the ship is there or to ask a deck officer where it’s stationed. The ship is there, ramp lowered for her, and Stormtroopers waiting.

She feels a bit strange sitting on the shuttle and heading towards the moon. (Y/N) should be with the rest of the Death Squadron right now, awaiting the rebel fleet, onboard the _Devastator_ for some last minute strategy session with Piett and the other Captains. Blending into the shadows when Vader is on the rampage after someone inevitably fucks up. Instead she’ll be down on the ground, isolated from the others, trying to find some stealth squadron of rebels who are crazy enough to take on the mission. She’s expected to defend a complex she’s never been to, search the entire forest for a small group of people, and not get blown up in the process.

(Y/N) closes her eyes, feeling a migraine coming on.

As the ship flies through the clouds, approaching the landing platform, (Y/N) allows herself to mull over the conversation.

Darth Vader wanted her to command the Death Star? Why? He knew of her opinion on the first one, it had been one he had even shared. Why would he think her opinion be any different for this one? Why would he think this a good role for her? Could it be her dislike of the station? She had no reason to believe Vader wasn’t also disapproving of the second Death Star. (Y/N) remembers all too well the carelessness Tarkin had weld the first station with: killing valuable minds on Scarif and destroying Alderaan. Did Vader believe she would command the Death Star with more reservation and caution? That she would be more unwilling to destroy planets?

It was the only reason she could think of. She had proven herself intelligent, capable, and tactical. Vader trusted she would lead with a sure, yet smart, hand.

She didn’t know what to think about that.

“Captain Krennic.”

(Y/N) stands, realizing the shuttle had landed. She mentally shakes herself. Focus on the now, focus on her tasks on the moon.

She exits the ship, walking down the ramp. She is greeted immediately by the commander in charge of the complex, “Captain Krennic.”

“Commander,” (Y/N) doesn’t know his name and she doesn’t care to.

“To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I’m taking over the operation here, I’ve brought reinforcements to help secure the complex. The Rebel Alliance-“

“We are aware of the impending rebel attack,” he interrupts her. (Y/N) keeps the scowl from her face. Mistake one.

The commander continues, “We are more than capable of defending the shield generator without you.” Mistake two. (Y/N) doesn’t believe in a third. Frankly, she doesn’t believe in a second either, but it's amusing to watch people dig themselves into deeper holes.

(Y/N) can’t help but smile at the commander, she loves pulling rank, “I’m here on the direct order of the Emperor himself.”

The commander visibly pales. It’s fun to watch people react to Vader, and it just gets funnier when it’s the Emperor.

She continues, “If you have issue with my appointment, you can pay him a visit. Or you can shut up, deal with it, and actually be useful and go run a patrol or something. It doesn’t matter to me; either way I’ll be taking over the operation here.”

(Y/N) breezes past the frozen man and her troops follow.

***

Luke walks through the plain walls, following the Imperial officer that had slapped the cuffs on him. Two Stormtroopers walk behind him.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To the Captain’s office,” the officer says, “She’s just down this hall.”

Luke’s surprised to get an answer.

Wait. ‘She’?

The officer opens the door and steps inside with Luke.

There’s only one other person in the room. Her back is to them, but Luke knows without a doubt that it’s her. She stands by the window, hands resting on the ledge as she looks out at the nearby shield disk.

“Captain?”

The Captain looks over her shoulder to see the source of the voice. Her eyes barely glance at the officer before they latch onto Luke. The green hardens with anger, but the officer probably thinks it’s hatred.

“This rebel just surrendered. He claims he’s here alone, but I doubt it.”

Her jaw unclenches to answer, “Thank you, Commander. Leave the key and his lightsaber.”

“Do you believe-“

“He’s a Jedi, Commander, he could get out off those cuffs like that,” she snaps for emphasis, “And if he came here to kill us, we’d all be dead already. You said yourself that he surrendered, clearly he’s here for another reason.”

(Y/N) turns back to look out the window.

The man frowns at her unhappily and puts the lightsaber and key on the desk. He glares at Luke one last time before leaving the room.

Luke stands silently, watching (Y/N). Her hand grips the window ledge so tightly her knuckles are white. He can feel the anger radiating off of her.

***

A part of (Y/N) wonders if the ledge or her hand will break first. She tries to keep the anger out of her voice when she finally says, “I suppose there’s no point in telling you to run.”

“Captain, I have to do this,” he replies.

(Y/N) slams her fist down on the ledge, “No, you don’t.”

She spins around to snap, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’m here to confront Vader. It’s the only way to destroy the Empire.”

“No it’s not, Luke. That doesn’t even make sense,” she says in frustration, “Blowing up the Death Star is how to defeat the Empire, not going onboard for a rematch with Vader.”

He moves closer, shaking his head, “You don’t understand.”

“Yes!” (Y/N) throws up her hands, “Exactly! Explain it to me then. Why are you doing this?”

“Just like last time,” he says, “to save people I care about.”

“What? Me?” (Y/N) says incredulously.

“I did promise to, didn’t I?” Luke smiles shyly at her.

“Don’t even try that, Luke Skywalker,” (Y/N) pokes sharply at his chest. She scowls, face reflecting her dark thoughts, “Besides, I’m not worth that.”

“What?”

“God, Luke, do I have to spell it out for you? I don’t deserve to be saved. I’m an Imperial officer, I helped create the first Death Star and have hunted Rebels like you for years. So if you’re here to try and confront Vader for my sake, turn around and walk out that door. I’m not worthy of your life.”

“I think that’s up to me, not you. And to me, you are.”

(Y/N) growls under her breath and stalks away from Luke.

“Captain, I-“

“Let’s go,” (Y/N) looks out another window.

“I’m sorry?”

“Let’s leave,” (Y/N) says, turning to look at Luke, “We can run away from here, somewhere the Empire couldn’t find us.”

“Are you serious?” Luke says in surprise.

“Yes,” she nods.

“You said no on Tatooine not too long ago,” he points out.

“Yes, I did,” (Y/N) replies sharply, “but that was before I realized you planned on going through with some crazy scheme.”

“So you only offer to stop me from going to Vader?”

“Yes! Is that such a bad thing?” (Y/N) spits, “Is it so bad that I don’t want you to do this? I wouldn’t leave for myself, but I will for you. I’d happily spend the rest of my life on the run and in fear if it meant you lived. Sue me!”

(Y/N) turns away, unable to look at Luke.

“You’re afraid now.”

Her shoulders raise slightly, mimicking hackles at the comment.

Luke continues, “A life with the Empire isn’t the life for you. I’m doing my part to fix things.”

“But why?” (Y/N) sighs, “Why do you have to do it this way? Why not stick with the others and destroy the shield generator?”

“Vader.”

(Y/N) looks at him in exasperation, “Why do you have to fight him?”

“I will not fight him,” Luke says absolutely, “You aren't the only one I’m trying to save.”

“Save him? Luke, he’s brought you and the galaxy nothing but pain. Why save him?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it then,” she snaps.

“He’s my father.”

(Y/N) stumbles backward in shock, “What?!”

“Darth Vader is the Skywalker of the Old Republic he told you of.”

“How do you know this?”

“He told me on Cloud City, that was what you sensed was on my mind.”

“And you believe him?”

“I could feel it. And other Jedi told me.”

(Y/N) frowns, weren’t the Jedi all dead? Kenobi had survived somehow, but who else? It’s not important.

“There’s good in him, Captain. I know there is.”

“The last time you saw him, he cut off your hand,” she argues.

“He could have taken my life, but here I stand.”

(Y/N) shakes her head, “Luke, you are not going to have a redo of Cloud City. You aren’t going before Vader. You’re going before the Emperor. If what you say is true, that there is still good in Vader, then you’re going before the person who tried to rip it from him.”

“I have faith in my father.”

(Y/N) sighs. Deep down she knew she’d never change his mind.

“The Emperor can and will destroy you, Luke. Do not be brought under a false sense of security by his frail outward appearance. He is a powerful Sith.”

She breezes past Luke to grab the key where it rests on the desk. He offers out his hands and (Y/N) releases the cuffs. She tosses them and the key onto the desk before turning back to Luke.

(Y/N) snatches his chin and holds it firmly like she did all those years ago, “I could knock your lights out, Luke Skywalker. Your lack of self preservation is going to give me grey hair.”

She releases her grip and sits in one of the chairs. Luke sits in the other as she picks up the lightsaber on the desk. It’s new, she can tell before even activating. She does and the green blade extends, buzzing in the air. She deactivates it and waves it Luke, “You made this?”

He nods, “The blue one was actually my father’s. I lost it on Cloud City.”

(Y/N) hums, “I haven’t stumbled across it in my time there. I take it Captain Solo is free?”

“Yes, we got him out not long after your visit.”

“Jabba?”

“Dead. Along with everyone else.”

(Y/N) makes an impressed noise.

“What have you been up to?”

(Y/N) shrugs, “Not too much. I’ve been on the Death Star since I left you, had an interesting conversation with the Emperor.”

“About what?”

(Y/N) wishes she hadn’t said so much, as she doesn’t want to further tarnish Luke’s view of her, but it’s too late now. She rubs the back of her neck, “I’m favored for the position of commander of the Death Star once it’s completed.”

“Really?” Luke looks more impressed than disgusted.

“Yes...so hopefully your rebel friends blow it up tomorrow. Because if I have to command that monstrosity, I’ll throw myself out of a docking bay.”

Luke sits forward to point in a direction away from the nearby shield generator, “When this complex is destroyed, walk that way. It’s where the others are. Leia and Han will vouch for you if I’m not there.”

(Y/N) looks away, sorrow enveloping her heart. It’s the first time Luke’s acknowledged his potential death. It’s his first time acknowledging he might not come back.

Luke takes her hand in between both of his. (Y/N) looks up at him. His thumb rubs soothing circles on the back of her hand. She looks down at his gloved hand. It’s the right one, the one Vader cut off. He doesn’t have a glove on the other.

(Y/N) squeezes its fingers, “What happened?”

The hand twists slightly, “I got shot.”

(Y/N) slowly moves her hand, to give Luke time to object. When he doesn’t, she moves the glove just enough to see a hint of the blast mark. She and pulls the glove back into place. (Y/N) softly pats the fabric above the exposed mechanics and scorched edges of fake flesh before withdrawing her hand, fingers trailing across his covered ones.

(Y/N)’s holoprojector beeps where it rests on her hip. Her hand slips unwilling from Luke’s so she can quickly straighten her cap before standing. (Y/N) glances at Luke pointedly, “Keep quiet.”

She pulls out the holoprojector and presses the button.

Vader’s tiny blue figure appears.

“Lord Vader,” she greets it.

“I will be arriving on the moon momentarily.”

“Yes, my lord. The landing platform will be clear.”

His image cuts off.

(Y/N) keys in the necessary contact and the pilot who brought her to the moon appears, “Captain.”

“Lord Vader will be arriving soon. Ensure the necessary accommodations are made.”

“Yes, Captain.”

(Y/N) tucks her holopad away and sighs deeply as she sits back down.

She glances at Luke and is caught in his striking gaze that’s trained on her. His eyes hold something she can’t discern.

“What?”

Luke opens his mouth to answer but a knock sounds at the door.

***

Luke can hear The Captain’s teeth click as her jaw snaps shut in frustration.

She looks at the door, saying lazily, “Yes?”

The door opens to reveal the commander from before.

“Lord Vader is coming.”

“Yes, I’m aware, I’ll take care of it,” she says dismissively.

When the commander doesn’t leave, The Captain audibly breathes in and looks back at him, saying in a put-upon voice, “Yes?”

“Well I was the one to capture him so-“

The Captain points Luke’s deactivated lightsaber at the commander, cutting him off, “First of all, you didn't capture him. He surrendered. I doubt you could capture Skywalker if I hogtied and threw him at your feet. Second of all, Lord Vader doesn’t care. All that matters to him is getting Skywalker. Vader doesn’t even know your name, he will refer to you only by rank because of that very reason. He won’t remember you after your meeting, he won’t even remember the meeting, unless I make him by telling him how you were disrespectful and antagonistic to me at every opportunity.”

The commander’s face is bright red and he tries to speak up but The Captain speaks over him, “But go on and take Luke Skywalker to him. Have your moment in the sun. I hope it is all you hoped it would be.”

The Captain looks back to Luke, a subtle softness returning to her pretty green eyes, “Stand, Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader isn’t a patient man.”

Luke stands and The Captain puts his cuffs back on. He subtly brushed the inside of her wrist with his fingertips, part of him thinking it could be the last time he will see her. She glances up at him.

“This way,” the commander orders angrily.

Luke pulls his gaze unwilling from The Captain to follow the commander.

“His lightsaber,” she says pointedly.

The commander gets impossibly redder and snatches the lightsaber from her.

“Farewell, Luke Skywalker,” The Captain says in a mocking tone to cover the honesty in her words from the commander, “It’s been a pleasure.”

The commander marches Luke away from The Captain’s room, towards where his father will be. Luke takes a calming breath to get rid of the clutter in his mind and steels his nerves. This will be the first time seeing Vader since Cloud City when his true identity was revealed. Luke had felt his presence on the large Imperial ship when Han was trying to smooth talk his way into being allowed to land, but this would be the first time he genuinely saw his father.

They exit an elevator to find an outdoor walkway. Vader is looking at them and Luke’s sure to give away nothing but his resolve on his face.

The commander says, “This is the rebel that surrendered to us. Although he denies it, I believe there may be more of them, and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area.”

He extends his hand, revealing Luke's lightsaber to Vader, “He was armed only with this.”

Vader looks the commander. He takes the lightsaber from the offered hand.

“Good work, Commander,” in any other situation, Luke would smile at The Captain being right, “Leave us. Conduct your search and bring his companions to me.”

“Yes, my Lord,” the commander doesn’t leave though, “I also wished to speak to you about Captain Kr-“

Vader cuts him off, “Tell the Captain I will speak with her in her office once I am done here.”

“Yes, my lord,” the commander says, clearly not taking the hint, “Shall I join you?”

“Why?” Vader asks, almost bored, “Will she give me a reason to request your presence, and you simply want to expedite the process?”

Luke can visibly see it click in the commander’s mind that Vader wants less than nothing to do with him and his wish to speak. His face is red as he replies, “...No.”

“You seem unsure,” amusement now colors Vader’s voice, “but if that is what you believe, I see no reason for why you should join us.”

The commander bows, vein pulsing in his forehead, “Yes, my lord,” and departs.

Vader’s attention returns to Luke and the two of them begin to walk.

***

(Y/N) knows the rebel team is coming, she just doesn’t know where. There’s the obvious main entrance, (Y/N) wouldn’t put it past the rebels to be that bold if the right person was leading them. There’s also the backdoor, the more subtle and favorable route. But do they know of its existence?

She wishes she had asked Luke, so she could pull troops away.

(Y/N) stands in the control room, where the other lead officers not deployed in the field mingle. She chews the inside of her cheek in anxiety, waiting to eventually hear from someone over the coms.

***

The call comes from the squadron at the backdoor.

The rebels have been captured. Han Solo leads them. Which tells (Y/N) that they probably won’t stay captured long.

“I want you all to take squadrons out and sweep the forest around us.”

“Captain Krennic?”

“We don’t know if there are more of them, Solo’s group could be the sacrificial lamb to give us a false sense of security.” Unlikely, but (Y/N) relies on typical Imperial incompetency resulting in her being believed.

“There could be more rebels out there. Leave the back entrance alone, it is secure and I don’t want to waste troops. I will stay here and monitor communications.”

“Yes, Captain.”

(Y/N) is soon alone in the control room. She starts to pace, hoping her desperate move doesn’t prove to be detrimental to the rebels.

***

Just as she suspected, Solo doesn’t stay captured for long.

Frantic communications come in from the officers at the backdoor.

“Requesting backup at rear entrance!”

“The rebels have escaped!”

“There are too many of them!”

“We need reinforcements at the backdoor!”

“They have natives assisting them. We need backup immediately.”

“The rebels-“ (Y/N) pushes the button that cuts off all communication.

She walks out of the control room and moves quickly. It’s time to get away from the shield generator.

***

(Y/N) opens her eyes and sees blades of green grass and dirt. She groans as she straightens the arm bent awkwardly under her body.

The last thing she remembers is breaking into a run once leaving the clearing around the shield generator. Not long after, a huge explosion occurred behind her. It had lit up the trees in front of (Y/N) and the shockwave had knocked her into the air. She had been thrown several feet forward before falling to the ground. (Y/N) had tried to twist her body so as not to land face first, something she had only been half successful at, given her contorted position.

She flexes all her fingers and toes, testing if she’s injured. Her body hurts, but nothing beyond the usual bumps and bruises that come with falling.

(Y/N) pushes herself up, looking around. It’s dark, she was unconscious for a while. She looks up at the sky and grins so broadly that it actually hurts. The Death Star is gone.

She stands carefully, still testing her limbs. Everything seems fine.

(Y/N) starts walking in the direction she had been when the complex had exploded. She had intentionally moved in the way Luke had told her to.

Luke. (Y/N) glances up at the empty sky. She hopes he made it off. She refuses to think of another possibility.

***

It has to have been a couple of hours by now.

Part of (Y/N) thinks she might be going in the wrong direction. She needs to either find the Alliance or find shelter soon. And she’s reluctant to do the latter, as the rebels probably won’t stay here long. The Empire has suffered a loss it will never recover from, but there is still much of the fleet spread across the galaxy. They will be arriving soon to exact revenge on anyone they can.

She keeps walking, eyes straining in the dark to see in front of her. She doesn’t know what kind of animals live here and she doesn’t want to fall prey to one of them. Though it would be funny if after all she's been through, it’s some wild animal that takes her out.

As she walks around a large tree trunk, she spots something in the distance. A flame. Fire. Where there’s fire, there’s people. (Y/N) starts walking faster.

The single flame has become multiple and (Y/N) can hear celebratory music. She grins, it’s the rebels. There’s a bonfire, she can see the shadows of people dancing. She’s so close.

A twig snapping somewhere to her left makes the smile drop from her face. (Y/N) pulls out her blaster, eyes scanning for the source.

Footsteps to the right.

“Drop your weapon, Imperial.”

(Y/N) drops her blaster immediately, raising her hands, “I’m not here to fight.”

“I’d think not,” a dark haired man appears from between the trees, “You don’t have a Death Star to hide behind anymore.”

Another man, with red hair and wearing an orange flight suit, steps forward.

“Listen,” (Y/N) says imploringly, looking between the two of them, “I’m not like the others. Go get Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, or Han Solo. They will vouch for me.”

The red haired man asks the other, “What do you think?”

“I don’t see why we should drag them away from the party for some nobody Imperial.”

(Y/N) takes a step forward, “If you-“

She stops mid sentence as the blaster of the brunette man is now aimed at her head.

“Do you have cuffs?”

“No, you?”

“Nah.”

“Please listen to me. Luke Skywalker will-“

The red haired one cuts her off, “Luke Skywalker is none of your concern. Keep your hands where they are.”

(Y/N) swallows, trying to keep her hands from shaking.

“You’re coming with us.”

She shouts, “Luke! Luke Skywa-mmh!”

The brunette slaps his hand over mouth, hissing, “Trying to alert the other Imperials, huh?”

(Y/N) shakes her head, words muffled by his hand.

The red haired man steps behind her, she can feel the end of the blaster brush against the fabric of her shirt. It’s on her spine.

“Keep quiet,” he says.

(Y/N) nods quickly. The brunette drops his hand.

“This way.”

The trio marches through the forest. The fires of the celebration leave her peripheral vision as she is led away.

They approach a large rebel ship that is sitting in a clearing.

A woman standing near the ramp calls out “Lee? Ozay?”

“Kira, where are the other captured Imperials being held?”

“Here,” Kira jerks a thumb over her shoulder.

(Y/N) is forced up the ramp. She says to Kira, “Please, go get Luke Skywalker! He’ll explain everything.”

The woman only looks at her with suspicion.

“I don’t think so.”

(Y/N) continues up the ramp, entering the ship. She is led down a hallway lined with doors. She imagines there are several other Imperial officers and soldiers tucked away in them.

The brunette pushes a button on the control panel, opening one of the doors.

(Y/N) looks inside. The room is not meant to be a prison cell, but has been quickly outfitted to serve that purpose. And the bed is more than a metal slab, meaning the person supposed to sleep here was meant to be comfortable. She can see scratch marks from where furniture used to be.

(Y/N) sighs, knowing there’s nothing she can do but wait. Wait until someone comes for her. Hopefully they will listen to her, unlike Lee and Ozay.

“Wait!”

(Y/N) jumps at the yell from down the hallway. She knows that voice. She turns to look.

“Commander Skywalker, I thought you were at the celebration.”

Luke walks briskly towards them, “I was, but I knew I was needed here.”

“Luke...” (Y/N) says breathlessly.

It draws the attention of the brunette, “We captured this Imperial as she was attempting to sneak up on the party. She’s been asking for you by name but-“

“It’s alright,” Luke cuts him off, “Let her go.”

“What?” the red haired man asks beside her.

“I know her, its alright. She’s safe.”

“Commander Skywalker, are you sure?”

“Yes,” he nods, smiling at (Y/N) briefly, “I’ll take her, you two return to the celebration. I’ve got things under control.”

“Yes, sir,” both men reply together and leave them alone in the hallway.

(Y/N) blinks at Luke dumbly, still processing that he’s here and she’s not locked up in a makeshift prison cell.

“Captain?” Luke asks tentatively.

She swallows, “Hi.”

“Are you alright?”

“I’m better now, thanks to you,” (Y/N) says lightly to try and mask her frazzled state.

“Oh, uh, that’s good. Sorry about them.”

(Y/N) looks down at her feet, “It’s not their fault.”

“It’s not yours either.”

(Y/N) scoffs in disbelief, “Yeah,” and adds before Luke can argue, “What now?”

Luke blinks, “Well...I imagine the party is still going on, but I’ve had my fill. Uh, unless you wanted to go?”

(Y/N) grimaces, “I don’t think I’d be welcome.”

“That’s true,” Luke rubs the back of his neck, “We’ll get that cleared up, though.”

(Y/N) doesn’t answer.

“Alright, follow me.”

“Okay.”

Luke leads her through a number of hallways. They ride an elevator up several levels and then walk down another hallway.

They come to a stop in front of a door, which Luke opens.

He turns to her, “This is where I was placed before leaving to come to Endor. You can stay here for the night, no one will think to look here. I’ll find somewhere else to sleep, and be back in the morning.”

(Y/N) glances inside, before looking back at him, “Alright.”

“Goodnight, Captain,” Luke says warmly.

(Y/N) blinks at him, “Goodnight.”

She thrusts out a hand, palm open.

Luke takes it and she has to fight down the shiver at his warm touch. She thinks about the last time she felt his touch, back when he was sending himself to probable death. How (Y/N) had thought her one...friend? Person? Her one something was leaving her forever.

Luke goes to release her hand, but (Y/N) holds on, “Wait,” and pulls him forward. He stumbles, not expecting it, and his eyes are wide in surprise as (Y/N) kisses him.

She pulls back after a moment, taking in his surprised, but not disgusted, expression.

“Is that alright?”

Luke blinks, “Yeah...yeah, that’s more than alright,” and recaptures her lips.

He’s on board with it this time, and takes action. His hands wrap around her. One winds through her hair, cupping the back of her head to make a better angle. The other burns hot where it rests on her back, pulling her closer to him.

(Y/N) brings her arms around Luke’s neck and presses closer to him. When Luke licks at her lip to ask permission, (Y/N) gives it without hesitation.

(Y/N) loses track of time as they kiss, the rest of the world fading away. They only break apart to breathe briefly before diving back into each other. Luke tastes slightly of alcohol from the celebration as well as something uniquely Luke. He kisses her possessively and it makes (Y/N) never want to stop.

Eventually, she does. (Y/N) pulls back and smiles as Luke tries to follow her.

“Wait,” she says, lips brushing against Luke’s as she speaks.

“What?” Luke asks breathlessly. His blue eyes look at her intently.

“(Y/N) Krennic.”

“What?” Luke’s brow furrows adorably.

“That’s my name. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s mine,” (Y/N) smiles at him, “I’m not afraid anymore.”

Luke’s smile is blinding. He says her name carefully, “(Y/N),” almost reverently, as if he’s blessed to know it.

He pulls her back in to kiss her again, slipping his tongue into her mouth confidently. (Y/N) runs a hand through his short, dark locks, relishing in the fact that she can finally do this. Luke’s hand on her back grips the fabric of her shirt and they kiss passionately for several more minutes.

Luke is the one pull away this time. He doesn’t go far though, and his hand comes up to stroke softly across her cheek, “(Y/N) Krennic, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

(Y/N) leans ever so slightly into the touch and smiles shyly at the man.

There’s a noise near them. It could be someone walking or just the metal of the ship shifting, but it makes (Y/N) tense, remembering where she is.

She glances at the room they stand in front of, “You could stay here. With me, I mean.”

“What?”

“Oh, I don’t mean like...anything like that,” (Y/N) blushes, “Just given...you don’t need to get another room.”

“Oh,” Luke says happily, “Sure.”

***

“I’ll get you a change of clothes after breakfast,” Luke says casually as they walk through the forest.

They had awoken not long ago. Luke had told her a group of natives, the ones who had helped Han and Leia destroy the shield generator, were hosting a breakfast that Luke was expected to attend.

(Y/N) had agreed to come, not wanting to be left alone at the ship. She had left her cap in the room and unbuttoned her uniform top to appear less formal and Imperial.

“Thank you,” she replies, “Hopefully the daylight will make people less suspicious or trigger happy.”

“We’ll clear all of that up. You’re welcome here, (Y/N), by more than just me. Please believe that. Everyone else will come around once we explain you aren’t really part of the Empire.”

(Y/N) grimaces. Wasn’t she?

Instead she says, “I’ll just be sure to stay near you so no one thinks I’ve snuck in.”

“Sounds good.”

They walk in comfortable silence for a while. (Y/N) glances at Luke out of the corner of her eye. She’s happy. Nervous about what’s to come, but happy she’s here. Finally free of the Empire.

She feels a calmness that was foreign to her. It probably comes from the restful night of sleep she had. And being held by Luke. (Y/N) felt a little ridiculous for putting so much weight on something as simple as touch. For the amount of warmth that bloomed under her skin where Luke made contact. But she could probably count on one hand how many times in the last few years that’s she felt the touch of another human, beyond a handshake or accidental brushing of arms. (Y/N) knew it wasn’t normal to live like that, so she reasoned she was entitled to a bit of ridiculousness.

(Y/N)’s footsteps slow as she spots structures in the trees and what can only be people moving around.

“Hey,” Luke grabs her hand, “it’s going to be okay. I’ll be with you the whole time, no one will try to hurt you.”

(Y/N) takes a breath and nods.

The pair makes their way up to the tree structures. Strange furry creatures walk around, chattering amongst themselves in their language. They are short and look like a child’s toy.

“These....these are the natives who helped destroy the generator?”

Luke laughs, “Yes.”

(Y/N) huffs a laugh. The Empire’s incompetence truly knows no bounds.

They start to reach the area where the people are located. (Y/N) tries to be subtle as she takes in the sights around her. She can see rebels, in camouflage, orange flight suits, and regular clothing. There are more small creatures who walk amongst them.

Some of the rebels look at her in curiosity, while some don’t even give her a second glance. Either way, no one seems angry. (Y/N) spots one of the men that had been with Luke on the supply run all those years ago. He notices her, recognition and surprise on his face. The man he was talking to must notice his change in expression and follows his gaze.

It’s Lando Calrissian. Shit. He says something to the rebel before walking over. Shit. (Y/N) is tempted to run away but he’s already speaking.

He greets her, “Captain Krennic, or should I say Baron Administrator?”

(Y/N) fights down the wince. How does she talk to the person whose job she stole? She replies carefully, “Shouldn’t I say the same?”

Calrissian grins at her, “Maybe not. Some of the board members have kept me up to date on things.”

(Y/N) isn’t surprised, she had never said the people of Cloud City couldn’t reach out to their former boss. And people tend to take every inch they can get.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Told me if it wasn’t for the Imperial aspect, they’d prefer you over me.”

(Y/N)’s eyebrows fly up, “I’m sorry?”

“They were joking, of course,” he says charismatically, “but there’s truth to it. You did a good job running the city.”

“I...Thank you,” (Y/N) isn’t sure how to handle this conversation.

“So, when everyone is done celebrating, I’d like to offer you a job.”

(Y/N) says nothing.

When Calrissian doesn’t laugh, (Y/N) asks, “Wait, seriously?”

“We could use someone like you on Bespin,” Lando laughs lightly, “It’d be a demotion, since I’d be taking my job back, but it's still a good gig. And Luke, here, has been building up an argument for you to have a spot in the New Republic, so I just wanted to get my offer on the table first.”

(Y/N) glances up at Luke who’s blushing slightly, “Is that true?”

He nods sheepishly.

It clicks in her mind, “So those questions you asked me...you were making a resumé?”

“Yes,” he says earnestly, “If I was going to get you out of the Empire and away from everything you knew, I wanted to have something ready for you. You said you didn’t have a place in the galaxy, so I wanted to make one for you.”

(Y/N)’s smile slowly grows until she’s grinning at Luke. Luke smiles back at her.

“Go get something to eat,” Lando says, “I’ll catch up with you later about that job.”

(Y/N) smiles genuinely at him, “Alright.”

Luke leads her away from Lando, “Come on, there’s the others.”

They approach Han, Leia, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and the protocol droid she thinks is called ‘3PO’.

Han spots them first, saying, “Hey, it’s our favorite Imperial.”

R2-D2 beeps at her in happy greeting.

Leia turns to look, “Captain.”

“Uh, it’s (Y/N). (Y/N) Krennic.”

Leia’s brow furrows, “Krennic...any relation to the Director?”

(Y/N) nods, heart aching, “My brother.”

Leia nods and holds out her hand, “It’s nice to meet you, officially.”

(Y/N) smiles tentatively and shakes it.

“Why don’t you sit down,” Luke offers, “I’ll grab some breakfast.”

“Sure,” (Y/N) replies, trying to hide her nerves, and says to the others, “If that’s alright with you all?”

Chewbacca growls at her and, while she doesn’t understand him, it sounds friendly.

“Of course,” Leia replies casually, picking up her fork and returning to her meal.

Han’s arm drapes itself lazily on Leia’s shoulders as he reclaims his seat next to her, offering (Y/N) a pleasant smile.

(Y/N) sits down, careful to leave space for Luke when he returned, but also not sitting too close to the huge Wookiee.

She watches Luke walk away and tucks some loose hair behind her ear.

(Y/N)’s entering a whole new chapter, life, world, and she knows there is still much to be done. She’ll have to meet a great number of people who hate everything she appears to represent. They’ll have to open their minds to the idea that she hasn’t truly been an Imperial for several years now. She’ll have to speak to the leaders of the Rebellion. Luke’s been pleading her case, apparently, but she doesn’t doubt that she’ll still be interviewed and have to give countless statements about her time with the Empire. And once all of that is settled, there’s still a fair amount of Imperial factions out in the galaxy that will need addressing. And, if the galaxy ever stops fighting and just breathes for a moment, she’ll have to make a new life.

But as nervous as she is about what is to come, she’s even more excited for it. She’s finally free. She’s going to get to choose her own path and future for the first time in her life.

For a long time, (Y/N) had believed her life had ended that day her brother’s had. For a long time, it had felt like she had been the one on that base, annihilated by that deadly green beam. That everything after had just been an act, her body just going through the motions and doing what it believed was expected of it.

But now she realizes she’s alive. The feelings and emotions that she felt were genuine. She was breathing, her heart was beating, she was alive. The sun still rose in the morning. And today it had risen not just on the morning, but on her future.

Her old life, what Orson had been a part of, was dead. And while she missed her brother like one missed a limb, (Y/N) knew he would want her to continue on without him. And she had done that. And would continue to do that.

(Y/N) feels a great wave of something she can’t put a name on wash over her. Orson would want her to be happy, regardless of the circumstances.

(Y/N) glances around the table of people who carry on with themselves, knowing full well who she was and accepting it. And she looks over at Luke, who is still in line for food, but is looking over in her direction, eyeing her surroundings. Ready to come over and protect her if he had to.

She sends him a soft smile, which he returns.

(Y/N) relaxes a little further, bringing her arms up to rest on the table while she waits for her meal.

The soft breeze stops and the branches around them settle. The sun now shines through, illuminating her face.

It feels warm and it feels like hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick explanation: Vader favors (Y/N) because he sees himself and Obi-Wan in her. She’s under-appreciated by her superiors, doesn’t like politics, and is competent beyond her status like Anakin was. Plus they share opinions on some stuff like the Death Star. And she can be snarky and unafraid to speak her mind like Obi-Wan was, and Vader still has fondness for Obi-Wan despite everything.
> 
> Alright well that’s it for this story. I hope I did service to the characters depicted and made (Y/N) Krennic a believable person who would be in this universe. I had a lot of fun writing her because her story was based in the Empire, unlike the Rebellion like most OCs/self-inserts. I made sure to change her allegiance as quick as possible because I don’t feel comfortable making a character genuinely dedicated to the Empire into someone to sympathize or identify with. The villainous groups of Star Wars are metaphors for Nazis, so the members shouldn’t be put in a good light or have their redemption be the focus of a plot/come so late their crimes before it cannot be forgiven. Idk maybe that’s just me ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> The next story will be up soon.


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